WELSH MATCH REPORT
More on Wales Jonah's Welsh Career Welsh Match Report Jonah's Welsh caps 2004 European Champs FIFA World Rankings WALES 0-2 ITALY05/09/98 Sporting Life match report - A crazy goal and a fabulous one saw Italy survive the fire and passion of the Welsh dragon to claim a crucial opening victory in this European Championship group one clash. Wales threw away the initiative in the first half when Chris Coleman gifted a stupid goal to Diego Fuser. Then, with just 14 minutes left Christian Vieri - the man who has cost Lazio £19million and is the second most expensive player in soccer history - broke Wales' hearts with a stunning strike, created for him by Roberto Baggio. Nobody could doubt the effort and spirit of the Welsh, but in the end they only had Ryan Giggs' world class skills to rely on, and against defenders of the quality that Italy put out, that was just not enough. Wales put a day of controversy and farce behind them and turned in a brave, committed display against one of the best sides in the world. Wales had Andy Johnson in for his debut with Robbie Savage on the bench in disgrace after being thrown out of the team hotel by boss Bobby Gould before breakfast because of a row over a TV interview. By lunchtime Savage was back in the fold, but he was still dumped from the side, only getting on for the last 10 minutes for the tiring Mark Hughes. But the upheaval didn't look to have effected Wales' spirit on the park, and roared on by a much bigger Anfield crowd than expected, they showed that a team 101st in the FIFA rankings can game put up a show against one of the top half dozen. The opening was marred by two flash points that enraged the Welsh, and underlined Italy's concern about players they knew would be fired up. The first came after five minutes as Christian Vieri crashed his head into Kit Symons as they contested a high ball. Symons needed lengthy treatment and the big striker was lucky not to have been booked. Two minutes later Nathan Blake was poleaxed by Marc Juiliano, with a group of Welsh players surrounding Norwegian referee Terje Hauge claiming the Juventus star had used his elbow. Seconds later Ryan Giggs broke through the middle, and goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi came racing off his line, and looked to have handled outside the area. Welsh players spent the next minute or so as Blake received treatment complaining about both incidents. Giggs, playing up front with Mark Hughes in midfield, went on another blistering run past three defenders after robbing Demetrio Albertini, only to be finally blocked off by Juiliano. A defence of Nationwide League players, who had been written off as out of their depth, fought superbly. Kit Symons' contest with Alessandro Del Piero will live with him for the rest of his life, as will Chris Coleman's battle with Vieri. Wales defended stoutly and got at Italy's back line, with Darren Barnard crossing from the left for Blake to send a diving header that Peruzzi saved at the second attempt. Then Vieri combined with Del Piero to give the little Juventus striker a chance to blast over the bar. But Wales fell behind after 19 minutes when Coleman gifted Italy a goal. He got in front of Paul Jones, who was about to pick the ball up, and tried a weak pass out of the six yard box and got caught in possession by Diego Fuser, who calmly slipped the ball into the unguarded net from an acute angle. Coleman held his head in despair, the goal deflated a Welsh side who had been playing with such fire and passion. Giggs was switching from wing to wing in search of the ball and an opening, and one fine piece of control and cross from the left was plucked out of the air by Peruzzi with Blake powering in. Wales had their best chance a minutes from the break when Blake was brought down just outside the box by Juiliano, and from the freekick Giggs curled a superb effort against the bar with Peruzzi beaten. The second half saw Italy, with brilliant defending from Fabio Cannavaro, contain Wales' fire and search for the final blow. But Wales' midfield, in which Johnson had an outstanding debut and skipper Speed drove forward with commitment and fire, refused to allow Italy to dominate. But Italy were the better side, and Wales - for all their effort - could not really create significant chances. One dazzling Giggs run down the right past four men ended with a shot charged down, but that was about it as far as genuine scoring chances. The second goal when it came after 76 minutes was a cracker. It was created by substitute Roberto Baggio, on for Del Piero, and finished with clinical skill by Vieri as he forced his way past Coleman and Symons, broke Wales' hearts. Dean Saunders was put on for Blake, and Savage got his belated chance, but Italy ended worthy winners with the Welsh crowd chanting "We want Bobby out", more a reflection of the Savage incident than a performance of bravery from their side. ------------------------------------------------ Teams Wales: Jones, Robinson, Barnard, Symons, Johnson, Speed, Blake (Saunders 64), Hughes (Savage 80), Giggs, Williams, Coleman. Subs Not Used: Bellamy, Trollope, Mardon, Ward, Llewelyn. Booked: Blake, Speed. Italy: Peruzzi, Panucci, Pessotto, D. Baggio, Cannavaro, Juliano, Fuser, Albertini (Di Biagio 66), Vieri, Del Piero (R. Baggio 73), Di Francesco (Serena 85). Subs Not Used: Buffon, Negro, Inzaghi, Chiesa. Goals: Fuser 19, Vieri 76. Att: 23,160 Ref: T Hauge (Norway). Links:
