Who has it in for Italy? They got screwed bigtime in the World Cup, not only against Korea, but the one against Coatia was even more blatantly unfair.
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Italy screams foul in World Cup loss
From the Sports Desk
Published 6/19/2002 11:54 AM
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The World Cup took its first day off in almost three weeks Wednesday, a fact that did nothing to quell the outrage boiling in Italy.
"Sincerely, it was scandalous," said Italian defender Paolo Maldini.
"Shame," screamed the headline Wednesday in the Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport. Underneath the headline was a photo of Byron Moreno, who until Tuesday night was unknown in Italy but is now viewed as public enemey No. 1.
Moreno, a referee from Ecuador, officiated Tuesday night's match between South Kroea and Italy, one that ended four minutes shy of a penalty shootout when Jung Hwan Ahn scored the winning goal.
South Korea thus reached the quarterfinals for the first time and Italy headed home, yet another big-time team having been eliminated from the tournament.
Ahn, although he became a national hero in South Korea, found he was out of a job with the club team for which he had played, which just happens to be in Italy.
"That gentleman will never set foot in Perugia again," said Luciano Gaucci, chairman of the Perugia club team.
"He was a phenomenon only when he played against Italy. I am a nationalist and I regard such behavior not only as an affront to Italian pride but also an offense to a country which two years ago opened its doors to him. I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian soccer."
Although the Italian contingent complained about many of the officiating calls, the two which have drawn the most scrutiny both came in overtime.
In the 110th minute, Christian Vieri sent a perfect pass to Damiano Tommasi, who scored what appeared to be the winning goal. Tommasi, however, was judged to be offside.
Technology put to use by a television network in Brazil examined replays and proclaimed Tommasi was onside by nine inches.
"The ref was certainly against us. It was so evident," Italian defender Francesco Coco said. "But what can you do? I couldn't see Tommasi's goal but the others say it was a goal.
"What can you do? It was a golden goal and Italy were in the quarter-finals. But then it was disallowed and Korea won it."
There was also the call in the 102nd minute in which Francesco Totti fell in the penalty box after being challenged by a South Korean defender. Even Italian partisans were mixed on whether Totti was fouled, but they were enraged that Totti was given a second yellow card for diving and was sent off.
"I think the sending off of Totti was scandalous," Maldini said. "I couldn't see if it was a penalty, but it certainly wasn't a sending off offense."
Gloom also settled in over Japan, where the World Cup dream for the co-hosting nation ended with a 1-0 loss to Turkey Tuesday.
A day after that setback, the French coach of the Japanese team, Philippe Troussier, resigned.
"Japanese football has taken a giant step forward by reaching the knockout stage," he said. Troussier said he wanted to take six months off before determining his future.
Italian coach Giovanni, Trapattoni, meanwhile, said he had no intention of resigning.
"I remain full of enthusiasm," said Trapattoni, who has a contract that extends through Euro 2004.
The eight teams remaining in the tournament were preparing for the quarterfinal round, which will be contested Friday and Saturday.
England and Brazil will open the quarterfinals Friday in Shizuoka --- a classic matchup between two of soccer's traditional heavyweights. The United States, enjoying unexpected success on soccer's biggest stage, will play Germany Friday night in Ulson with the Americans going into the game as a heavy underdog.
On Saturday, South Korea will try to pull off another upset when it meets Spain in Gwangju and that night Senegal will face Turkey in Osaka.
The four European teams remaining in the tournament equal the fewest ever left to take part in the World Cup quarterfinals.
upi.com
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Croatia 2, Italy 1
IBARAKI, JAPAN (TICKER) -- Coach Giovanni Trapattoni thinks the Azzurri are victims of 'The Italian Job.'
Ivica Olic and Milan Rapaic scored during a three-minute span as Croatia rallied late to beat Italy, 2-1, and claw back into contention for a second-round berth from Group G.
Christian Vieri put Italy in front 10 minutes after the break, notching his eighth goal in seven World Cup matches. However, the star striker and his fellow Italians were furious that English referee Graham Poll disallowed two potential goals.
"We have been robbed," Trapattoni said. "I think that one of the two goals, or maybe even both our goals that were not given, were OK. I think a draw would have been a good result."
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