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The E Group matches have ended. The Italian national team defeated the Czech national team with a score of 2-0, eliminating them from the E Group competition and securing the first place for themselves, as well as earning a ticket to the quarterfinals, where they will meet the team that finished second in Group F.
Hamburg AOL Arena, 50,000 spectators Referee - Benito Archundia Tellez (Mexico) Czech Republic 0 - 2 Italy 26` [0 – 1] Marco Materazzi 87` [0 – 2] Filippo Inzaghi 45' Jan Polak (Czech Republic) sent off Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Kovac, Rozehnal, Jankulovski, Plasil, Polak, Nedved, Poborsky (46` J.Stajner), Rosicky, Baros (64` D.Jarolim). Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Nesta (17` M.Materazzi), Grosso, Camoranesi (73` S.Barone), Pirlo, Perrotta, Gattuso, Totti, Gilardino (60` F.Inzaghi). The Czechs started the game better. Both teams exchanged non-threatening attacks. In the 8th minute, after a pass from Pavel Nedved, Milan Baros took a sharp shot, but his attempts were safely blocked by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Three minutes later, P.Nedved himself tested his luck, but his shot was caught by G.Buffon. In the 17th minute, one of Italy's defensive pillars, Alessandro Nesta, got injured. He was replaced by another defender, Marco Materazzi. Both teams exchanged dangerous attacks, but it was the Italians who scored first in the 26th minute - after a corner kick lifted by Francesco Totti, M.Materazzi rose high and headed the ball accurately into the net, leaving Petr Cech no chance. After conceding the goal, the Czechs had nowhere to go. Especially knowing that in the 22nd minute, Ghana surged ahead against the USA. In the 31st minute, after a pass from Nedved, Karel Poborsky took a shot, but his attempt was easily caught by the goalkeeper. At the end of the first half, Czech's Jan Polak received his second yellow card for a foul against F.Totti. The player had to leave the field, leaving the Czech Republic in a difficult situation - they needed to score two goals in the second half or hope for assistance from the USA in the match against Ghana. At the beginning of the second half, F.Totti attempted long-range shots at P.Cech's goal, but his attempts to double the score were unsuccessful. In the 50th minute, after an Italian attack, Simone Perrotta had a chance to score, but his shot was saved by P.Cech. Just five minutes later, Fabio Cannavaro also had a chance to score, but his shot after the pass from F.Totti sailed over the net. In the middle of the field, Fillipo Inzaghi appeared. As it turned out later, M.Lippi made a successful substitution once again. The Italians continued to dominate the game. In the 63rd minute, Mauro Camoranesi had a chance to score after a corner kick, but his header missed the target. In the 68th minute, due to a mistake by the Czech defenders, Filippo Inzaghi had a great opportunity, but his shot went wide. A minute later, the Czech Republic responded with a dangerous attack, but G.Buffon saved Pavel Nedved's powerful shot. The Czechs put all their efforts into attacking, and after stopping Andrea Pirlo's dribble in a counterattack, F.Inzaghi had another opportunity to score, but the forward missed the goal from a few meters away. However, "third time's the charm," and in the 86th minute, F.Inzaghi avoided the offside trap and ran towards the Czech goal, deceiving P.Cech and sending the ball into the net, sealing Italy's victory. The Czech Republic suffered a setback and will have to travel back home after the group stage matches.
