Tuesday, July 04, 2006

1978

That was the last time that a World Cup Championship match didn't involve either Brazil or Germany. (Throw in the filthy, filthy Dutch and that number goes back to 1938, y'all). 1978.

Until tonight. Because Fabio Grosso nailed a shot past the great German GK Jens Lehmann in the last two minutes of extra time to beat the Germans. And the Circus Maximus goes wild. Spare some applause, please, for the stud hoss of the tournament, Italian keeper Gigi Buffon, who has surrendered one own goal to the US and that's it, and he made a game-saver at literally point-blank range tonight, in extra time. Last World Cup the player of the tournament was German keeper Oliver Kahn, who was prodigal until he let a shot squeeze by him in the Final against Brazil, and then the floodgates opened. Will the same happen to Buffon?

Only if Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane keep playing like it's 1999. The two French hosses played brilliantly against Brazil on Sunday, and here's me saying they'll beat Portugal tomorrow. Portugal are good, but they don't even get past England if Owen is healthy, if Rooney isn't a stupid kid, if Beckham is healthy, if, if, if....

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