The Final
Zidane is a brilliant player, so it is sad to see his international career end this way. It was a very bizarre moment in an otherwise rather open match. Italy ruled during the first half, but the French had control over the second half and the extra time. Again Henry showed that he is not the cold killer he should be. The Italians we impeccable with taking the penalties and thus ultimately won. Congratulations!
We had gone downtown to watch the match in La Vita E Bella on 2nd Ave. The restaurant is run by two Sicilians so the place was packed with Italians, although there was a small vocal enclave with French.
To taste some of the atmosphere watch the video I shot during the last Italian penalty kick
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I thought of going in to Boston's North End (the Italian quarter), but I was hoping France would win....
Half way through the first half I said to my wife, "I think Italy is going to win: their players are quicker when it counts." But in the second half France took control, and the Italians all looked exhausted. (The early substitutions were a key.) I expected France to win in extra time, but it wasn't to be.
And as for the penalty shoot-out, it was the same as each of the preceding shoot-outs in this tournament: the team that played better in extra time lost on penalties. Odd that....
Geoff