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On a rainy night in the coastal town of Bari in 2009, the Republic of Ireland battled out a 1-1 draw with a ten man Italian team that played their home 2010 Group World cup bereft of style, imagination or flair. Perhaps not surprisingly as their manager, Marcello Lippi had seen Giampaolo Pazzini sent off after just three minutes of play, by aptly named German referee Wolfgang Stark, and their ryhtmn was disrupted. The Italian manager also faced the haunting spectre of his predecessor, Giovanni Trapattoni, famed in the darks arts of defensive eleven aside football in the opposite dugout.
Obviously with only ten men left standing it was going to be a long night - even for Italy - one imagined.
However, Lippi’s agony was to prove short lived as Vincenzo Iaquinta scored within seven minutes and Italy went into the lead. At which stage the ability on the Italian team sheet looked as if it would settle matters pretty quickly, as Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Grosso, Zambrotta and goalkeeper Guianluigi Buffon woudl take command. Regretfully for the Bari fans the game became all about protecting the one goal advantage and remained so until the bitter end. Rather than trying to impose the superiority of Serie A over the Republic of Ireland players, most of whom had no Champions League experience and only a handful even playing regularly at their Premier League clubs.
But such is the psychology of Italian football, or perhaps just Marcello Lippi, as on that night a most bizarre decision was made – attracting minimal comment at the time – which was the substitution of Andrea Pirlo in the 46th minute. With the AC Milan player suffering from no obvious injury.
In fact the opposite, as he had single-handedly created a number of attacking chances for Italy and forced the Irish players deep in to their half time after time. Those dinky passes over the top, combined with those whipped along the ground - that Andrea Pirlo has made his trademark over the years - becoming a nightmare for the Irish defenders – always happier just heading the ball out for a corner.
From the moment Angelo Palombo came on, a more robust style of midfielder with less of the deft touches, the game was lost for Italy and they seemed happy to withdraw deeper into their half.
As the clocked ticked by Lippi’s troops started to look even two players short on the field, as the Irish bombarded high balls into the box and Italy could not escape the Irish siege - with no-one able to release those quick counter attacking passes at will. Which in the 88th minute saw Irish captain Robbie Keane pounced on a half chance after the Italian defenders failed to clear a ball – giving Ireland a vital away point - and punishing Lippi for his negative thoughts.
As a world cup winning manager in 2006 the decision by Lippi in Bari that night has always seemed unusual – but probably no surprise given the history of Italian football.
In Ireland that April 1st result vindicated the choice of Trapattoni as the national manager by the Football Association of Ireland, as the man born in Cusano Milanino on St Patrick’s Day 1939 staved off a possible massacre– and also secured an invaluable point. But for all intents and purposes, the post match analysis sounded a trite triumphalist and the printed press rather indulgent in their assessment of those 90 minutes of football on that night. Not one capturing the impact of Pirlo being hauled ashore at the halfway stage.
But as only sport can balance things, in the return leg at Croke Park a late Sean St. Ledger goal three minutes from time looked to have sealed the three home points for Il Trap. Only for Alberto Gilardino to finish off the last Italian counter attack just on the whistle - to share the spoils in Dublin - and leaving an Irish nation pondering a sense of defeat given that Glen Whelan had put Ireland ahead after eight minutes.
But then again it should not have been tales of the unexpected given the Italian form at the 2006 World Cup.
Having arrived in Germany with little expectation and plagued by a domestic match fixing scandal, Lippi’s unlikely lads marched from their opening win in Hanover against Ghana all the way to Berlin on July 9th – despatching Ukraine 3-0, Germany on penalties and a ten man France along the way. Not forgetting the most polemic moment at the Fritz-Walter Stadion in Kaislerslautern against Australia in the round of 16, when Francesco Totti converted a controversial injury time penalty awarded by Spanish referee, Luis Medina Cantalejo aginst Lucas Neill.
Six years on Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo are two survivors of that match and now a key part of the EURO 2012 campaign. Where Italy have deservedly reached the final - and without controversy so far - and playing in a different, yet the same, style for an Italian team.
Under Cesare Prandelli they have shown a flexibility and work rate hitherto unknown, alll built on their fundamental principle of football - strong defending. All to great effect.
Now though armed with the nascent Mario Balotelli, who is ready to strike at goal just on sight. and like Paulo Rossi in 1982, Toto Schillaci in 1990 or Roberto Baggio in 1994 - is a player on tournament form. Aided and abtted by the unsung hero of the team is in many ways, Antonio Cassano, himself just back playing after heart surgery earlier in the year, running his socks off up front for his nation’s cause. Ably supported by a cast of others that Prandelli has playing an attacking counter attacking game all pleasing to the eye. With deadly effect as German coach, Joachim Loew, found out in Warsaw on Thursday night.
But undoubtedly the player of the tournament in-waiting, Andrea Pirlo, is where Italy have their best weapon.
A strange turn for a player discarded on a free transfer a year ago by Milan, who has since shown a level of form at 33 years of age that can only draw superlatives. Deservedly so given that his Scudetto winning season with Juventus seems to have reinvigorated the Lombardy legend, with his 120 minute display against England a lesson for any aspiring midfielder to learn from. With a special section allotted to penalty taking alone, given the way he deftly dealt with Joe Hart's shouting and screaming in the England goalmouth in Kyiv a week ago.
In next Sunday night’s final Pirlo will play a major role again no doubt and crown an unlikely Italian victory at EURO 2012 final in Kyiv – given the pre tournament punditry. Crowning his own glittering career with another UEFA trophy no doubt, as the most outstanding on the field contributor over the past three weeks. If so, it would be very well deserved.
Wonder what Marcello Lippi and Giovanni Trapattoni will be thinking if that happens?
Answers on a postcard please….
Ciao!
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