meazza

What a !@#$ing game. The heart this team is showing. Time to get back whats rightfully ours!

I'm thinking Portugal just might pull a miracle. Good luck to them.

27 hours left. I'm !@#$ing nervous.

I could see your future and it involves you being violently ill on the morning of June 28th and will be unable to attend work.

Yes Cannavaro/Nesta and co were probably the best combination of center backs in the game but let's not forget that Lippi (like all traditional Italian coaches) play defense + counterattack (something England tried doing yesterday but utterly failed). This coach is different. He is playing a possession style attacking game which did a damn fine job against the defending world/euro champs. Yes they could give up goals but I think they will also score as well. If they would play a park the bus, counterattack game, then I guarantee not many teams would be able to score. Di Natale will start Thursday and he is well rested. I suspect Cassano will come off the bench as a super-sub. Balo is only 21 years old and I think he will make a mark in this game (i really hope so). I took Thursday off to watch the game

You think Germany who hasn't beaten Italy in any competition since 1970 wouldn't take this match seriously? I seriously think the only difference between both teams is a pure poacher but I would be willing to bet a lot that this will be a 120 + minute contest. http://www.football-italia.net/20385/germany-can-be-beaten-insists-prandelli

Regardless, De Rossi might not be fit to play on Thursday which scares the **** out of me. No way the midfield will have as much space as they had against England. They need to find a way to start scoring those chances or else they're toast.

Since when is shirt pulling a dirty play? The guy is clearly developed into one of the better defensive midfielders and if he can't play Thursday due to injury (the reason why he was subbed), it will be a huge gap in the midfield. I think you're just hating on the guy because of the incident in 2006 which, he himself admitted was a huge mistake. No worries. I will say both teams are playing well but Italy lacks a true goal scorer a la Mario Gomez. That might be the difference but we shall see what approach Cesare uses.

the yellow cards were way off. well reffed

I understand what you meant. Italy didn't park the bus though they used to and it used to drive me !@#$ing nuts. But having opportunity after opportunity, it would have been nice to win this without shootout. The first shot that De Rossi hit the left post was insane. Would've changed the whole game. I fear he was subbed due to fitness which is worrisome since he's been by far, the most complete player for Italy. Yes Pirlo is insane. Seems like that PK he took put the pressure on England. I don't remember the moment you were talking about. DDR is an aggressive player, Pirlo isn't. I don't know why he got subbed. I'm just happy he didn't get the second yellow which would have knocked him out of the semi-final.

I agree with you but if you scroll up to the beginning of the tournament, I believe I claimed this team is a dark horse and many unproven players. I don't agree with the subs but I get why he did them. I'm satisfied that Italy reached the semi's. What really surprised and encouraged me is that they attacked the whole game. Previous Italy teams would have parked the bus and countered but that wasn't the case this time. They held possession, took their chances and managed to squeeze one out. Next Thursday is the rematch of the ages. By the way, cheers to the England fans on this board. Mean no disrespect.

I don't agree with your assessment of De Rossi but Italy held the ball most of the game. De Rossi and Balo together had 6 clear chances. I lost 10 years of my life today. Forza Azzurri. !@#$ England.

Ok Scoobie.

Ummm... go Germany?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-tagn3lB3I&feature=related&noredirect=1

Ok so just to clarify, !@#$ France and !@#$ Spain. Game on

IMO Schweinstegger is world class. Never slows down.

I only watched 20 minutes at a bar since I'm working. I'll watch the highlights later on. That being said, Gomez is one of the best in the world and any coach would be nuts not to start him in a semi-final.

Semi-final vs Italy or England. Should be interesting. Wish it was Sunday

That apparently.

That's something I wouldn't have a hard time believing.

"They hate me because I'm beautiful"

Funny because, from what I noticed when I was over in Italy, most of them work all !@#$ing day and barely scrape by and then proudly boast how they aren't like Americans/Canadians who are a slave to their employer. So in reality, they are deluded.

He only has one brain cell, what do you expect? I have five and it just isn't enough

Be careful. Every team is dangerous once they hit the quarters. I would look forward to Italy vs Germany but right now I'm focusing on England (as if it matters who I focus on ).