AUSTRIA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - EURO 2008 - Italians straight back to training after a 1-1 draw with Romania

Record ID: 555844

  • Title: AUSTRIA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - EURO 2008 - Italians straight back to training after a 1-1 draw with Romania
  • Date: 15th June 2008
  • Summary: (SX) MARIE ENZERDORF, AUSTRIA (JUNE 14, 2008) (REUTERS) TRAINING PITCH MANGER ROBERTO DONADONI PRACTICING WITH FORWARD ANTONIO DI NATALE CROWD WATCHING THE TRAINING SESSION FORWARD ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO PLAYING IN A TRAINING MATCH TRAINING MATCH IN PROGRESS DEL PIERO PHOTOGRAPHERS WATCHING THE TRAINING SESSION TRAINING MATCH DONADONI TAKING PART IN TRAINING MATCH TRAINING MATCH MIDFIELDER ANDREA PIRLO SCORING A GOAL IN TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 30th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Austria
  • Country: Austria
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4SH0BJ6MD5FXPGLXJKWNNTZ7X
  • Story Text: Italians straight back to training after a 1-1 draw with Romania, as they prepare for their final group match against France in a bid to keep their Euro 2008 hopes alive.
    The Italian soccer team were straight back to training on Saturday (June 14) following their 1-1 draw with Romania on Friday (June 13) evening.
    The Italians have keeper Gianluigi Buffon to thank for maintaining a still slim chance of making the quarter-finals in the Euro 2008 tournament, thanks to his late penalty save.
    The world champions are pushing their reputation as slow starters to the extreme but feel they can beat France next week to reach the quarter-finals after showing promise in the game against Romania.
    They were humbled 3-0 by the Dutch in their opening Group C game, leading coach Roberto Donadoni to make five changes and switch formation from 4-3-3 to 4-3-1-2 against the Romanians.
    They created better chances and were more competitive in midfield but the defence again looked shaky with Gianluca Zambrotta's weak back header letting in Adrian Mutu for the first goal 10 minutes into the second half.
    Fellow defender Christian Panucci netted a quick equaliser but also gave away a late penalty for a dubious foul, with Gianluigi Buffon saving Mutu's effort with the help of his leg to keep Italy's slight hopes of going through alive.
    However, victory over France in Zurich on Tuesday (June 17) in a repeat of the 2006 World Cup final would not guarantee progression for the Azzurri.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register