World Cup Semi: Germany 0 - 2 Italy

It cost me almost $900 and 60 hours of no poker for 120 minutes of brilliant football: Germany v Italy in Dortmund.

Leaving England for Germany, we were letting everyone know that we were going to do England a favour and knock the Germans out for a place in the World Cup final.

The road trip meant that we arrived in Dortmund via France, Belgium and Holland. A very long slog but Germany made very good hosts on arrival.

Talking football with German fans in a bar before the game, my prediction was that whoever scored first would win 2 - 0. It would also be "national take the flag down day" and it would be raining German tears!

Pre-Match build up to a classic semi final

Italian football legends Paolo Rossi and Gianluca Vialli

2nd Half: Kick Off

0-0 after 90 minutes: Extra Time awaits

Extra time was awesome as Italy played more aggresively and the Italian fans responded and willed them on to a 119th minute goal by #3 Fabio Grosso. My prediction was realised when #7 Del Piero scored also. Watch the goals:



The German fans took the defeat well and at the end of the game one Deutschland fan wanted to swap his baseball cap for my Italy cap. "A Time to Make Friends" indeed.

Good Game

DM and former Man Utd and England player Lee Sharpe

Germany
01 J Lehmann
03 A Friedrich
21 C Metzelder
17 P Mertesacker
16 P Lahm
18 T Borowski (72 B Schweinsteiger )
13 M Ballack
05 S Kehl
19 B Schneider (83 D Odonkor )
11 M Klose (111 O Neuville )
20 L Podolski


Italy
01 G Buffon
19 G Zambrotta
05 F Cannavaro
23 M Materazzi
03 F Grosso
16 M Camoranesi (90 V Iaquinta )
20 S Perrotta (104 A Del Piero )
08 G Gattuso
21 A Pirlo
10 F Totti
09 L Toni (74 A Gilardino )

Ref: Benito Archundia Tellez
Att: 65000


Veni, Vidi, Vici.

Next, off to the Goalpoker World Cup Final Party in Ibiza!