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Thrilling final caps memorable Euros
Posted: Monday July 03, 2000 02:21 PM
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- With time running out, Italy began to celebrate while France faced defeat in the European Championship. Then, Sylvain Wiltord quickly changed things. Wiltord shocked Italy by tying the game 31/2 minutes into injury time, and David Trezeguet scored the winner 13 minutes into overtime to give the World Cup champions a 2-1 victory Sunday in the final of the European Championship. "Everybody thought we were dead," Thierry Henry said. "With the French team, it is never over. I was pretty annoyed the Italians were already thinking of victory. They were clapping hands and high-fiving. It was bothering me, so I was really happy when the ball went in." The loss continued a run of disappointment for the Italians, who lost to France on penalty kicks in the 1998 World Cup quarterfinals. "I think a thing like this you won't forget for a lifetime," said defender Alessandro Nesta, who saw the game-tying goal go through his legs. "Thirty seconds from the end and it all goes up in air." Many of the Italians dropped to the ground in dismay and disbelief. "When you feel victory is in your hands and it slips away, it takes a lot out of your spirit," Italy coach Dino Zoff said. "But it was a great effort. I'm really sorry, but this is soccer." The 2000 Euros were filled with similar dramatic moments:
The final itself maintained the thrills and the drama right until Trezeguet's goal, the last kick of the championship. "It is the willpower of the team that did it," French coach Roger Lemerre said. "The team wanted this trophy since the day it won the World Cup. We said that, if there was a second left, we had to go all out for it. The miracle happened and we caused it." The Italians had been so close to winning the title for the first time since 1968. But Zoff, who appeared on course to become the first to win the Euro title as a coach and player, was proud of his players. "We proved Italian soccer can battle against anyone," said Zoff, who has endured months of criticism from the Italian media. The tournament also had its share of problems. The early stages were marked by rioting in Brussels and Charleroi with most of the trouble caused by English fans but minor incidents involving Belgians and Turks. The UEFA threatened to kick England out if the violence continued. In one match, Portugal was furious that the French were awarded what turned out to be a winning penalty in extra time and turned on Austrian referee Guenter Benko and his colleagues. "Nuno Gomes gave the referee a violent push in the chest and Abel Xavier grabbed him by the arm," a UEFA spokesperson said after a disciplinary hearing on Sunday. "The referee then showed the red card to Nuno Gomes, whereupon Paulo Bento tried to take the red card from him by grabbing his arm." Xavier, who handled the ball which led to the penalty, was suspended for nine months in international play and top-scorer Gomes, who received a red card for protesting the penalty decision, was banned for eight months. Bento, who verbally accosted the match officials, was suspended for six months.
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