Italy out!

So the last games of Group C. Sweden vs Denmark and Italy vs Bulgaria. If Italy wins and the other game does not end in a draw, Italy will go through with the winner of the other match. If Sweden draws against Denmark, then Italy has to win by 2 or more goals. Unless it ends 2-2 between Denmark and Sweden, then whatever score Italy wins by, they still go home.

Of course, Italians being Italians, before the game they were already screaming and accusing match fixing between the Scandinavian neighbours. An Italian journalist was caught in the Swedish hotel trying to send a fax to the Danish asking to play for a 2-2. The Italian FA wants 50 cameras to watch the game and make sure there is no match fixing. The Italians are doing anything possible to keep Sweden and Denmark from playing 2-2, except they forget that they have to beat Bulgaria first.

Both games started at the same time. Suprisingly, Denmark takes the initiative and by half-time they are up 1-0 from a Jon Dahl Tomasson lob. Italy meanwhile, are 1-0 down from a Martin Petrov penalty. If it stays like this then Italy will end up bottom of the table. What will they do with those 50 cameras then?

Second half. Sweden gets an equaliser. Italy now need two goals to get through. They pull back after Cassano's shot hits the bar and Perrota scrambles it in. The Danish are attacking like hell and Tomasson found the net again, Pippo Inzaghi style. 2-1. The Italians can still not find the net, even with Vieri, Cassano, Del Piero, and Di Vaio on the field. The Danes are looking for a 3rd goal and are getting closer and closer, while Italy are getting further away from the quarterfinals. Suddenly in the 90th minute Matias Jonson scores for Sweden and the dreaded 2-2 comes true. Just a minute later Cassano scores. He celebrates then somebody whispers in his ear that the other game is 2-2 and he his joy turns into tears.

Surely the Italians will scream conspiracy. They will do anything they can to prove that the other game was fixed. But any decent football fan watching the Sweden - Denmark game will know for sure that it wasn't a stitch up. It happened by accident. The Italians should blame themselves for going home. For having Vieri doing Emile Heskey. For having Totti doing something stupid. For the shoes and the socks. At least Cassano will still play a major tournament in the coming years.