New Zealand Makes Lambs Out of Italy

Italy only won the last World Cup because of the intervention of the fourth official.

He saw Zinedine Zidane's headbutt on Italy's Marco Materazzi, when most in the stadium (including myself) had their eyes elsewhere. He alerted the referee and the rest is a sad history.

So there was, one can only hope, a touching sense of irony to Italy's staggering 1-1 draw with a team many had tipped to be the worst in the finals, New Zealand.

For there stood America's beloved referee, Koman Coulibaly of Mali, making a surprise appearance as the fourth official. Was this a gesture of defiance on the part of FIFA? Was it a gesture of sympathy?

And he might have made a difference.

One wonders just how hard it was for Coulibaly to resist intervention on the kind of call that he proved last Friday, in the game between the U.S and Slovenia, he is strong enough to make.

It was the 28th minute. Italy was already 1-0 down, to a goal with a small tinge of offside.

Cannavaro had suffered an attack of can't-do, as the ball bounced from head to head. Smeltz suffered no meltdown and Italy was bemused.

Still, Italy couldn't lose to New Zealand, could it?

So in that 28th minute, as the ball came across, New Zealand's Tommy Smith wrapped his arm around Daniele De Rossi.

It certainly did not resemble the forced hug offered to U.S midfielder, Michael Bradley, with a few minutes to go last Friday. It was more of an instinctive reaction by a defender sensing an attacker might get beyond him.

De Rossi, however, knew what he had to do. He is not merely an Italian. He is a professional Italian. Dive first, ask questions later.

The referee, Carlos Batres of Guatemala, fell for De Rossi's falling.

He gave a penalty, converted by Iaquinta.

Naturally it is but a daydream, a pipedream. But who wouldn't have been amused if Coulibaly, in an inexorable drive for justice and a talk show in the U.S., had suddenly attracted the referee's attention to the fact that De Rossi's plunge should be expunged?

As it is, the decision was crucial to the game. For Italy didn't manage to score again and now must beat Slovakia on Thursday.

One should offer a little perspective for those who are strangely fond of the Italian team.

Italy isn't as bad as England.

Unlike England against Algeria, Italy did try and score, did offer shots on goal and did show flashes of something akin to skill.

Paston, in the New Zealand goal, made superb saves.

Equally, unlike England, Italy offered perhaps the most disgraceful attempts at dissimulation since Dennis Rodman's performance opposite Jean-Claude van Damme in "Double Team."

Perhaps they were aware that referee Batres had given a red card in every single World Cup game in which he had ever officiated.

Strangely, Batres failed to maintain that record.

So Italy was forced to try and win the conventional way, something it has so far failed to do in this World Cup, after a fortunate draw with Paraguay.

The best chance of the game came late and it came to New Zealand.

Chris Wood, a tall forward who looked as if he was very recently in high school, which, it appears, he actually was, spun on the ball and unleashed a left-foot shot.

It missed Marchetti's left hand post by very little.

The celebrations of the New Zealand players were quite beautiful and unrestrained.

This is a country know for rugby, lamb and being so very far away from just about everywhere else.

Suddenly, it found the limelight, and, with the results falling its way Thursday, it can go through to the next round.

Next week could see the demise of Italy, France and England from the competition.

The departure of all three is unlikely. For no rational reason, other than these are the sorts of countries that often find a way to win just when they look their worst.

Still, all of New Zealand should rejoice beyond control. This was a glorious day.

How might New Zealand's next appearance go? And how might Coulibaly's?

Chris Matyszczyk is an award-winning creative director who advises major corporations on content creation and marketing, and an avid sports fan. He is also the author of the popular CNET blog Technically Incorrect.

See also:

Full Coverage: World Cup 2010
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Paraguay Tries to Be Italy, Almost Beats Italy
World Cup: Germany and Ghana Buzz the U.S. Team
World Cup: U.S. Lets England Put Egg on Its Own Face
South Africa Shows the World How Soccer Is Celebrated
Guess Who Will Win the World Cup