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Italy stun Germans, Argentina, France also lose
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-02 09:15
LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - Italy scored the most emphatic victory of the
night with a 4-1 win over Germany when soccer's major powers began their final
preparations for the World Cup finals in earnest on Wednesday.
Italy's Luca Toni celebrates after scoring
against Germany during their international friendly soccer match at the A.
Franchi stadium in Florence March 1, 2006.
[Reuters] | Germany, the hosts for this summer's extravaganza, were not the only big
losers on the first night of important warm-up friendlies exactly 100 days
before the finals begin on June 9.
Argentina, tipped as potential World Cup winners, fell 3-2 to Croatia who won
with an injury-time goal in neutral Basel, while France lost for the first time
since July 2004, beaten 2-1 in Paris by visitors Slovakia.
World Cup finalists Sweden also had a night to forget, crashing 3-0 to
Ireland in Dublin, a little consolation for the Irish who narrowly failed to
reach the finals themselves.
World champions Brazil braved freezing conditions in Moscow to beat Russia
1-0, while England, also tipped to do well in Germany, came from behind to beat
Uruguay 2-1 in Liverpool with another stoppage-time winner.
CONVINCING WIN
Italy, looking to win the World Cup for the first time since their third
triumph in 1982 when they beat West Germany, were too good for the Germans in
Florence.
They raced into a 3-0 halftime lead at the Franchi stadium with goals from
Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni and Daniele De Rossi.
Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero added Italy's fourth soon after the
restart to give the Azzurri their most convincing win since Marcello Lippi took
over as coach in August 2004.
Defender Robert Huth grabbed a late consolation goal for Juergen Klinsmann's
well-beaten side as Germany suffered their heaviest defeat against the Italians
since losing 5-2 in a friendly in 1939.
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