Chapter 121 Shame and Glory

The third round of Group F of the World Cup began the following day, and Slovakia and Paraguay appeared smoothly, but in the two games, the winners did not pay much attention to. Instead, the two teams were out, which attracted more attention.

One with shame and the other with glory!

Italy lost 2:3 to Slovakia, scoring only two points, and the group was at the bottom, becoming the defending champion of the fourth group out in history. This result may not have been expected before the game.

In the last match of the group stage, Lippi finally chose to die with his veterans. In the game, Italy was completely suppressed by Slovakia, both the sharpness of the attack and the proportion of the ball.

When a group of Italian engineers could not create a chance on the court, Lippi could only replace Pirlo, hoping that he could save Italy and himself.

Lippi on the field has completely lost the previous calmness of Silver Fox. He looked at the situation on the court anxiously and kept paced on the side of the court. Throughout the game, Lippi hardly sat in the chair and sat calmly for even a minute.

Lippi's anxiety is like the Champions League final he experienced in Manchester in the 2002/2003 season, but in that game, although Lippi was also very nervous, he only kept smoking on the sidelines. If that night, Lippi was just nervous, today's Lippi is more at a loss.

Previously, Trapatoni had such a helpless experience in the 2002 World Cup and the South Korean team. He kept touching the cross in his pocket, hoping that God could help him.

Today's Lippi even closed his eyes in the game and prayed devoutly. Perhaps at that moment, Silver Fox had already made it clear that a strong team could no longer advance, and only God could help Italy.

Unfortunately, in the end, God's nationality is not Italy.

Look at Lippi's starting trident. Lippi pinned his hopes on Yaquinta in the last game, perhaps because the previous Gilardino disappointed him too much.

Lippi experimented with Gilardino and Pacini in two games, but the result was nothing. Perhaps at this time, Lippi should sigh why he chose Gilardino instead of Borello in the final choice.

If Borriello is on the 23-man list, his combat effectiveness, scoring ability, and ability to hold the ball behind his back may be particularly missed by Lippi at this time.

Cassano, the most familiar name for Italian fans. Almost every time Italy performed poorly, Italian media and fans asked Lippi why he chose Cassano, but Lippi is so firmly that his Pepe is the best.

Pepe may be competitive, because he has played at a high level in these three group matches. This stiff player is not a stable main force in Udinese now, and don't forget that Pepe's performance in the World Cup qualifiers is very average, and he played less than one game in the Confederations Cup, and in these two games Italy has lost.

Speaking of which, in the World Cup, Pepe did not live up to Lippi's trust. He performed very hard, but after all, his ability was limited and he did not score in three games. The only so-called assist was that the Paraguayan goalkeeper made a mistake because of the corner kick, but think about it, if he is stuck in this position What will Sano do?

After the game with Paraguay, Cassano once said in an interview with the Italian media: "What's the contradiction between me and Lippi? In fact, I don't know. I've never even seen him. If I have to say something, I think maybe he doesn't like it. Please enjoy me."

Casano's words reflect the fact that Lippi's reason for rejecting Cassano is probably not valid at all. In Lippi's eyes, Cassano is an alien, but Lippi's definition of Cassano is completely the impression of the club.

In fact, in the national team, whether it is Euro 2004 or Euro 08, Cassano is one of the best players, and Cassano almost became Italy's savior in those two cups.

In other words, Lippi's rejection of Cassano was just a conjection from the beginning, and then it was more like a result of competing with the Italian media and Italian fans.

On the other side, Lippi was obsessed with Yaquinta before, but after two games, Lippi found that Yaquinta was not a good tool to create opportunities for deep breakthroughs. In the last game, Lippi began to turn to Dinatale. Udinese striker's skills were very good, but he could not achieve Lippi. Expectations.

As for why only Montolivo and Pazzini were selected by the Florence Gang, it is a commonplace and there is no need to mention it again and again.

What about Totti?

Cassano told the Italian media: "This Italian kicks very mediocre and has no bright spots, because they don't have Totti and Piero."

In fact, Totti's performance has been good this season, and Lippi has been hinting to Totti, but when Totti was really ready to accept the invitation, Lippi coldly refused him.

Look at the time when Lippi can only let Montolivo be the organizational core of the three midfields in this game, but without any performance, Lippi should think about why he didn't bring Totti.

In the midfield, Lippi gave two precious places to Palombo and Gattuso. The former did not get a one-minute chance, while Gattuso, who was about to be cleaned at AC Milan, got a 45-minute chance, and Gattuso's squeeze was exactly Ambrosini, who performed well in AC Milan.

In addition, let's not forget Rossi, who is the best-performing player in Italy in the Confederations Cup, but in the final choice, Lippi gave up Rossi, without Rossi, without Cassano, without Baloteli, Lippi's midfield player, and has no real deep breakthrough ability at all. , grab the point in the middle after the two wings pass?

What will happen to Italy with this simple style of play? I have seen it today.

In fact, when Lippi chose the lineup, he did not want to upgrade the team, but hoped to continue the skeleton of the team when he won the championship in 2006. The three lines of Lippi is actually using the old men as the skeleton.

In this case, Lippi piled up some engineering players around them, but what about the result?

Those old people have long had the ability to win the championship, and the newly selected engineers to serve them do not have the ability to save the world. Nowadays, it can only be said that Lippi's stubborn and crazy selection has destroyed Italy and himself.

Italy lost 2:3 to Slovakia. After three whistles at the end of the referee's game, the Slovak players hugged and celebrated. The Italian players were crying. Lippi didn't even say hello to the other's coach and hurried back to the locker room.

The farewell battle between the national team of several veterans was particularly bitter.

In the last game, as long as Italy can beat Slovakia and get two goal difference, it can even appear as the first in the group, but when the opportunity was in front of them, the Italians missed it.

Slovakia's victory is convincing and even unpopular, because Slovakia has always occupied the initiative on the field throughout the game.

It was their number one star Hamsik who brought victory to Slovakia.

In the first game of the World Cup, Hamsik scored a goal for New Zealand, and then faced Paraguay. Hamsik's poor performance made it almost impossible for the team to qualify for the group.

The media are also reporting that the huge pressure makes Hamsik unable to exert his real strength at all.

But through this game with Italy, people have seen the majestic chicken crown in the Champions League in Serie A.

and Montolivo's direct dialogue, the two are competitors in the same position in Florence. In today's game, Hamsik continued his victory in the club, and Slovakia also won a victory under his leadership.

One goal, two assists, Hamsik's performance is surprising, but such performance is reasonable. As the representative of the new generation of players in Europe, no one will doubt Hamsik's ability.

If Hamsik only played a normal level in the first game, and the second game was abnormal because of great psychological pressure, then Hamsik's performance in today's game was enough to blind everyone's eyes. He really broke out 200 percent.

Especially the goal that knocked on the door of victory for Slovakia and a long shot outside the penalty area made Buffon the world's number one goalkeeper to do nothing.

In the face of the score being equalized by the Italians and with little time left, it was Hamsik. His breakthrough with the ball in the middle made Gattuso's old age. The straight kick was even more amazing, and then it was the moment for the Slovaks to celebrate.

Italy's exit with shame is surprising, while New Zealand's unbeaten exit is shocking. 28 years ago, New Zealand defeated China 2:1 in the Singapore playoffs and stepped on China's shoulders to enter the World Cup.

28 years later, New Zealand entered the World Cup finals again. Although they were out this time, they remained unbeaten in three games and three draws in the group stage.

As the most unpopular team in this World Cup, it is difficult to escape the fate of being out of the group in time, but the young men from Oceania can leave with their heads held high because they have made history.

The performance of the New Zealand national team in this World Cup is indeed enough to make the world's media take off their hats to pay tribute, because there are only 25 professional football players in New Zealand. In this World Cup, head coach Herbert even selected four amateur players to participate, including bank clerk Andy. Barron also appeared as a substitute in the match with Paraguay. In terms of personnel composition, New Zealand is undoubtedly the weakest team in this World Cup.

Before the start of the World Cup, New Zealand was an undisputed fish brisket team in all media predictions.

But what about now?

New Zealand drew three games and scored two goals.

Among them, he scored a goal in the final stage of the match with Slovakia, showing his tenacious fighting spirit. In the match with Italy, he scored a goal at the beginning. In the end, Italy equalized the score with only a controversial penalty. After a 1:1 draw with Italy, amateur player Barron once said: "This is a At a special moment, we are making history.

Barron's words are not exaggerated to be able to kick out this performance with this strength.

Another phenomenon worthy of the pride of New Zealanders is that after the group stage, New Zealand overtook Italy and ranked third in the group stage.

It's a pity to be out, but there are defending champions at the bottom, and New Zealanders have no regrets. In this regard, head coach Herbert proudly said: "Many people think that we should not appear on the World Cup. They say that our team is full of amateur players and they can't afford such a big game, but what I want to say is that I Proud of our players, they didn't lose a group match, but unfortunately, we were eliminated in the end.

Before the World Cup starts, in the eyes of many people, the team's World Cup journey is likely to be like watching the flowers, after three games and then returning home.

But when the F game began, the New Zealand boys equalized Slovakia at the last moment with their tenacious spirit and took the lead in the second game of the group stage to block the powerful defending champion Italy. For this team that aimed to get the first point in the World Cup, three draws, although difficult Save the team's elimination, but New Zealand's performance in South Africa still deserves everyone's recognition.

In fact, everyone understands that New Zealand's strength is the worst among the top 32 teams, and the total value of the team's players is not even equal to the value of an Italian star, but such a team actually beat the defending champion one point after three rounds of the group stage, ranking third in the group. Who can say that this is not new What about a miracle created by the Xilan people?

After three rounds of Group F, Paraguay ranked first in the group. They will face Japan in the 1/8 knockout match. For the Japanese who shouted the declaration of winning the championship, I don't know what the Paraguayan stars will think.

Slovakia, which ranked second in the group, has to face the first Netherlands in Group E. It can be said that this is an uneven competition, but the Slovaks who have created miracles in the group stage have no reason to fall in front of the Dutch for fear.

When learning that Slovakia will face the Netherlands next, Slovakia's young captain Hamsik looked very calm: "We know that we are now creating one history after another. Facing the Netherlands, we will not be afraid of their strong strength before the game. In the game, we will still I will fight for the dignity and honor of Slovakia. As for the result of the game, it doesn't matter anymore!"