The Hindu : Sport / Football : Italy steamrollers Germany

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Friday, Mar 03, 2006

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Sport - Football

Italy steamrollers Germany

LONDON: Italy scored the most emphatic victory of the night with a 4-1 win over Germany when football's major powers began their final preparations for the World Cup finals in earnest on Wednesday.

Germany, the host for this summer's extravaganza, was not the only big loser on the first night of important warm-up friendlies exactly 100 days before the finals begin on June 9.

Argentina, tipped as potential World Cup winner, fell 2-3 to Croatia, which won with an injury-time goal in neutral Basel, while France lost for the first time since July 2004, beaten 2-1 in Paris by visitors Slovakia.

World Cup finalist Sweden also had a night to forget, crashing 3-0 to Ireland in Dublin, a little consolation for the Irish who narrowly failed to reach the finals themselves.

World champion Brazil braved freezing conditions in Moscow to beat Russia 1-0, while England, also tipped to do well in Germany, came from behind to beat Uruguay 2-1 in Liverpool with another stoppage-time winner.

Convincing win

Italy, looking to win the World Cup for the first time since its third triumph in 1982, was too good for the Germans in Florence.

It raced into a 3-0 halftime lead at the Franchi stadium with goals from Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni and Daniele De Rossi.

Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero added Italy's fourth soon after the restart to give the Azzurri its most convincing win since Marcello Lippi took over as coach in August 2004.

Defender Robert Huth grabbed a late consolation goal for Juergen Klinsmann's well-beaten side as Germany suffered its heaviest defeat against Italy since losing 5-2 in a friendly in 1939.

It was a case of deja vu for Argentina, which lost 3-2 to Croatia in neutral Switzerland after conceding a stoppage time goal.

There was also a shock defeat for France, losing to Slovakia 2-1.

Brazil began the final preparations for the defence of its title with a 1-0 win in Moscow over Russia where Ronaldo scored the only goal after 14 minutes.

England's year began with a victory too, thanks to Joe Cole's winning strike three minutes into stoppage time against Uruguay.

The South Americans, who failed to reach the finals, had taken the lead with a spectacular volley from midfielder Omar Pouso after 26 minutes and held it until Peter Crouch equalised for England with a header 15 minutes from time.

Spain twice came from behind to beat fellow finalist Ivory Coast 3-2 in Valladolid.

The results (home teams first unless specified): England 2, Uruguay 1; France 1, Slovakia 2; Iran 3, Costa Rica 2; Ireland 3, Sweden 0; Italy 4, Germany 1; Luxembourg 0, Belgium 2 (abandoned); The Netherlands 1, Ecuador 0; Russia 0, Brazil 1; Scotland 1, Switzerland 3; South Korea 1, Angola 0; Spain 3, Ivory Coast 2; Tunisia 0, Serbia-Montenegro 1; Turkey 2, Czech Republic 2. Argentina 2, Croatia 3; Portugal 3, Saudi Arabia 0; Mexico 1, Ghana 0; Poland 0, United States 1. — Agencies

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