Italy Advances Past France, Dutch Keep Rolling
ZURICH, Switzerland — Italy advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship with a 2-0 win over short-handed France yesterday in a rematch of the 2006 World Cup final the Italians also won.
Bryn Lennon / 2008 Getty Images
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JUNE 17: Andrea Pirlo of Italy scores the opening goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA EURO 2008 Group C match between France and Italy at Letzigrund Stadion on June 17, 2008 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Bryn Lennon
Andrea Pirlo put Italy in front with a penalty kick in the 25th minute after Eric Abidal was red-carded for a foul on Luca Toni, and Daniele De Rossi made it 2-0 with a deflected free kick in the 62nd.
Italy next faces Group D winner Spain on Sunday in Vienna, although it will be without key midfielders Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso after each got his second yellow card of the tournament.
It was Italy's first win over France without the help of a penalty shootout in 30 years, the last being a 2-1 win at the 1978 World Cup. Italy beat France in a shootout in the 2006 World Cup final and the teams also met twice in qualifying for Euro 2008. The French won 3-1 in Paris and the teams drew 0-0 in Milan.
But the Italians still needed help from the Netherlands to be sure of a place in the next round, getting it when the Dutch beat Romania 2-0 in the other Group C match. The Netherlands won the group with a maximum nine points and Italy finished second with four. Romania exited with two points and France finished last with just one and only one goal.
Toni was free behind the defense when he reached out with his leg to pull down a long pass. He was fouled from behind by Abidal, who was ejected before Pirlo stepped up and fired a shot high to the right of goalkeeper Gregory Coupet.
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NETHERLANDS 2, Romania 0 Even a makeshift Dutch lineup was too much for Romania, and good enough to keep the Netherlands perfect at the European Championship. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar helped the Dutch backups send Romania out of the European Championship yesterday with a 2-0 win, a result which allowed Italy to join the Dutch in the quarterfinals. Huntelaar, the replacement for Ruud van Nistelrooy, killed off much of the suspense hanging over the game by tapping in a cross from Ibrahim Afellay in the 54th minute. Robin van Persie added the other in the 87th with a strong solo effort on left wing against a strangely listless Romania.
