Guardian and Observer Editorial

Federer’s relief Flintoff gives hope Martin Kelner Nadal makes champion England boosted by Have Motson’s legs sweat for fourth win talisman’s comeback really gone for good? Wimbledon, page 10 ≥ Cricket, page 15 ≥ World Cup, page 20 ≥ Monday | 10.07.06 | guardian.co.uk/worldcup Italy strike gold as Zidane sees red Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, centre, embraces his airborne captain Fabio Cannavaro after the penalty shoot-out that gave them victory in the World Cup final against France in Berlin last night Tom Jenkins World Cup final potent from the opening of the second- unmarked to connect with Willy Sagnol’s By then Henry was exhausted but his where it caught the underside of the cross- half onwards but are now submerged in cross 12 yards out but his header was removal meant that neither he nor Zidane bar and dropped over the line. There was Kevin McCarra Berlin the miseries of their leader. tipped over by Gianluigi Buffon. could face Buffon in the shoot-out. The a suspicion then that luck would rally to A red card rather than a greetings card Goalkeepers had little to do, even if the veteran, in a rather erratic fashion, had Zidane’s aid with the total fulfilment of Italy 1 (1) ushered Zinédine Zidane into retirement final was diverting and often classy. Buf- illustrated at the very start of the night his life as a footballer. Minds turned to the 19 minutes into extra-time. The captain fon might as well have been a bystander that he could beat the goalkeeper. After symmetry of his impact, considering that Materazzi 19 was sent off for reacting to a dispute with in the shoot-out, since a Juventus team- six minutes Henry headed into the area he had delivered an opener, too, when France 1 (1) Marco Materazzi by turning and butting mate David Trezeguet bashed his penalty from the left and Florent Malouda went France took the 1998 World Cup in Paris. the scorer of Italy’s goal in the chest. He against the bar. The left-back Fabio Grosso down as Materazzi closed on him. The harmonies of history were, in prac- Zidane 7pen had surely been provoked — there were secured victory for Italy from the spot. There had seemed to be a slight contact, tice, to take another shape entirely. Italy aet; Italy won 5-3 on pens suggestions last night that Materazzi had One of the worst aspects of the sudden- enough to meet the referee Horacio had never before conquered on penalties called him “a terrorist” — but Zidane will death system is that it leaves the losers Elizondo’s criteria. Plotting the penalty, in the World Cup finals and were even Italy are world champions, with a flawless be right to curse his stupid reaction. tormenting themselves over each detail Zidane almost baffled himself in the bat- vanquished by France in that fashion at set of penalties in the shoot-out securing This World Cup had come to mean too that might have been different. Thierry tle of wits. He had scored the single goal the quarter-final stage eight years ago. A football’s ultimate prize. They had never much to him and the dismissal followed Henry, affected for a while by a first- of the semi-final against Portugal from the nation famed for its icy efficiency was been undisputed masters in any other three bookings in his six matches here. minute head knock, had a splendid, free- spot by hitting a sharp, low finish to the bound to put that right sooner or later. aspect of the final, yet the honour is theirs The 34-year-old was as overwrought as running spell after the interval and com- goalkeeper’s right. Here, confronted by his France had made Italy turn into for the fourth time in their history. The any testosterone-maddened youngster pelled Buffon to an important stop. The former Juventus colleague Buffon, he a former incarnation of themselves. The veterans of France, tapping unimaginable but could still have contrived a triumph. coach Raymond Domenech, though, was opted for the opposite. reserves of stamina, had been more Five minutes before his expulsion he was eventually to substitute him. The ball was floated the other way, continued on page 4 ≥.

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