Awesome match, unhappy outcome.

I'm going to get so much shit at work, tomorrow. I've been bashing Italy's team, Azzurri, for a good week, in favour of France's Bleus. It was such a good match though...Zizou scored on a penalty kick in the first 7 minutes, and then Italy countered with a goal about 10 minutes later. (Then honestly, it was a little uneventful...a few yellow cards, and plenty of unnoticed fouls from both sides.) Then Italy scored a goal...but the off-side flag went up and it was taken off the board. What got me was the extra time...two fifteen minute periods, where still nothing...except we lost Henry to cramping, Vieira to an injury and Zidane to his uncontrollable temper. Now really, head-butting an opponent while not even in play? Did he think the refs wouldn't give him a red card for that? Even if it was because Marco Materazzi called him a "dirty terrorist" and for that should have been ejected from the match...for Zizou to end his career in such a manner baffles me.

So, anyway, there was only one other match, ever, decided by penalty kicks...that was the 1994 final between Brazil and Italy, when it was held in America. Roberto Bagnini missed and it went to Brazil, I remember the huge deal over that, because it made Brazil the first five-time World Cup champion in history. And after the 30 minutes of extra time this match, it went to penalty kicks, again...I was so hoping for a replay of Italy as the losers, but with Zidane, Henry and Vieira all out...I was scared. And rightfully so. Trézéguet missed. It hit the goalpost and that was essentially it. I saw Barthez, one of my fave footballers, and he just kind of collapsed on the field. He's an amazing goalkeeper but, nonetheless, France lost. I was so heartbroken. And so were les Bleus. It was evident.