Without a doubt, the heavyweight matchup of the quarter-finals. Will Antonio Conte’s tactical wizardry be up to the task against Germany’s solid technical abilities?
Schnitzel or braciola. The choice is yours.
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raven
Ah, just in the nick of time!
SRW1
Germany playing with a defensive line of three. That was also Löw’s strategy in the last encounter, a friendly Germany won 4-1. This game will be tighter than that.
humboldtblue
Sweet mother of villainy, Germany v Italia.
I’m cheering for the 8th Air Force (Hanks and Spielberg will debut their latest WW2 series based on the 8th next year, called the Mighty 8th) and the 2nd Armored.
Amir Khalid
Apparently Germany has never beaten Italy in a tournament match before — in eight matches, saith the BBC liveblog, there have been four draws and four wins to Italy (all four in the knockout stages). Can die Mannschaft beat their bogey team?
raven
Did he say 7 Italians playing on yellows?
raven
@humboldtblue: Great book and a great museum down in Savannah.
humboldtblue
@raven: I had no clue, thanks.
raven
@humboldtblue: Mighty 8th Museum.
raven
@humboldtblue: I’m not religious but they have really nice stained glass windows in their chapel.
SRW1
Funny how the bench behind him is smiling about Conte’s antics.
humboldtblue
So much talent on the field.
Lahke
In San Gimignano in an apartment above a restaurant that has the game on; I can tell it will be a while before things calm down.
humboldtblue
Muller is only 26, it seems he’s been playing since the turn of the century.
SRW1
@humboldtblue:
Unfortunately, he seems to have misplaced his scoring instinct somewhere.
Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again)
@humboldtblue:
It seems like Gigi Buffon has been playing since the Big Bang.
Steeplejack (phone)
Okay, that Tecate “Black Eagle” ad was pretty funny.
SRW1
@Amir Khalid:
One of those draws between Germany and Italy did eliminate Italy from a tournament, though. Last group game between Italy and Germany during Euro 1996: Germany was already qualified for the next round, Italy needed a win because they had lost against the Czech Republic. After the 0-0 Italy had to go home.
raven
Rut Ro
burnspbesq
Chucky puts Germany ahead.
Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again)
No. Just no.
Lahke
Lots of hooting and hollering, sounds good for John McCain .
Barney
Your stat for now: Germany have scored the last 21 penalties they have taken in shootouts.
And that’s gone now …
Steeplejack (phone)
And the prancing Italian shanks it! Nelson Muntz “Ha-ha!”
And the German gives it right back. D’oh!
And another German miss.
And the Italian! Screw it, I can’t keep up.
Tony J
My God, it’s like watching us take all the penalties. I’ve never seen – both – sides spack it so hard.
Schweinsteiger….. WTF was that?
Steeplejack (phone)
OMG! Shankfest.
SRW1
Nerves of the stalwarts.
SRW1
This one will be decided by a direct Neuer vs Buffon duel.
ETA: We waz robbed of that highlight!!
MobiusKlein
Oh my god. Penalties suck.
Steeplejack (phone)
@SRW1:
Pistols at 20 paces?
Tony J
Its like watching tramps punch each other under a bridge for half a bottle of meths. It ain’t pretty but… Save by Neuer.
Can the 9th choice penalty taker put it in?
Ja! Germany do it… Just.
Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again)
Decided by backs. Who’d have thunk?
SRW1
Is this the end of Buffon’s magnificent international career?
Randinho
@Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again): Last year in the Africa Cup of Nations was decided bya goalkeeper’s pk in the shootout.
I have said it before and will say it yet again: all the pressure in pk’s is on the player taking the penalty.
Randinho
@SRW1: My wife hopes not!
humboldtblue
@SRW1: Not necessarily, there is talk he’ll be around for the next WC. He’ll be 40
burnspbesq
@humboldtblue:
Dino Zoff won a World Cup for Italy at age 40.
humboldtblue
@burnspbesq: 1982, four years before I really started to understand international football. My first real WC was 1986 and I had just moved to California and watched the matches on a Spanish language station.
Aldo
@burnspbesq:
History says Italy makes it to the WC final every 12 years and alternates wins/losses. They won it last time they made the final
Randinho
@Aldo: 1958 was Sweden v Brazil in the WC Championship game.