Athens Olympics, Quarter-Finals - 21/8/04 (18.00)
Italy 1 - 0 Mali aet
Bovo 115 (I)
Ivan Pelizzoli saved Mali's penalty, but it was Cesare Bovo's header at the end of extra time that put Italy in the Olympic semi-finals where they will face either Argentina or Costa Rica.
The Azzurrini only qualified for the knock-out round thanks to Japan's shock win over Ghana, so Coach Claudio Gentile had to take heed from that warning sign and make changes.
Some were forced upon him, as Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi was suspended, so he introduced Sampdoria's Marco Donadel and pushed the so far disappointing Andrea Pirlo further up the field for a more attack-minded line-up. Cesare Bovo also replaced Andrea Barzagli in central defence.
The Azzurrini went very close after just three minutes when a defensive error handed the ball to Alberto Gilardino from ten yards, but he only managed to toe-poke it past the far post.
Mali gradually increased the pressure, but the defence held out firm against Sissoko and N'Dyae efforts. Gilardino was the danger man for Italy and the Africans reserved some special attention for the striker, Kone booked for a sliding challenge after he had already undergone treatment for a knock.
There was real danger on the half-hour mark, as Ivan Pelizzoli got down well to palm out Diallo's surprise angled drive that was heading for just inside the far post.
It was a warning, as on 32 minutes Matteo Ferrari tripped Traore in the box and the Paraguayan referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Valencia man Sissoko stepped up, but Roma goalkeeper Pelizzoli proved decisive by parrying his penalty and the follow-up from Diallo.
When Italy did manage to get forward, Gilardino and Giampiero Pinzi were repeatedly caught offside, not always accurately.
But Mali were more dangerous and Pelizzoli required another desperate save to keep out Diallo's long-range drive, with help from Ferrari to clear the loose ball from six yards.
The second half kicked off with another scare, as N'Dyae burst into the box and cut back for Traore, but his shot was charged down by Ferrari.
Italy's best chance of the game so far came on 52 minutes, when Gilardino captured Sculli's pass and turned well, only to bring a great save out of Bathily.
Sculli was then on the other end as he hooked down Pirlo's splendid cross-field pass, but brave defending plucked the ball off his foot as he lined up the shot.
Udinese midfielder Pinzi's appeals for a shove by Tamboura on the very edge of the penalty area were waved away, while Traore's header was off target and Pelizzoli was again called to parry a N'Dyae snapshot.
Gilardino was beginning to push his way into the area and sprung the offside trap on a perfectly timed Pirlo through ball, but then turned his angled drive wide of an open goal.
Gentile made his now traditional substitution with 15 minutes left on the clock, replacing Sculli with Brescia forward Simone Del Nero. Cesare Bovo was granted a free header on Pirlo's free kick and turned it well wide.
Berthe curled a free kick a metre wide of the near post, but the deadlock could not be broken and the tie went to extra time.
Boco curled a free kick wide of the target, then the temperature on the field rose when Mali carried on their move despite the fact Pinzi was on the ground in need of treatment.
Pelizzoli was again decisive with a good block on substitute Abouta's effort, while Gilardino turned two headers off target from Del Nero and Pirlo assists.
In the second period of extra time Gentile introduced Palermo's attacking winger Andrea Gasbarroni for Pinzi. Italy had a golden opportunity to win the match when a corner was whipped in quickly by Pirlo, but the unmarked Ferrari somehow ballooned it over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The game seemed to be heading towards penalties, but in the closing moments of extra time Pirlo curled in one his trademark free kicks and found the head of Roma defender Cesare Bovo. The Mali goalkeeper managed to get a hand to it, but the angle was too tight for him to keep it out of the bottom corner of the net.
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Italy: Pelizzoli; Moretti, Ferrari, Bovo, Bonera; Pinzi (Gasbarroni 109), Palombo, Donadel, Sculli (Del Nero 75); Pirlo; Gilardino
Mali: Bathily; Tamboura, Kone, Diakite, Coulibaly; Berthe (A Traore 106), Sissoko, N'Dyae; D Traore (Abouta 81), Kebe (Sidibe 114), Diallo
Ref: Torres (Par)
Missed Penalty: Sissoko 34 (M)
Italy 1 - 0 Mali aet
Bovo 115 (I)
Ivan Pelizzoli saved Mali's penalty, but it was Cesare Bovo's header at the end of extra time that put Italy in the Olympic semi-finals where they will face either Argentina or Costa Rica.
The Azzurrini only qualified for the knock-out round thanks to Japan's shock win over Ghana, so Coach Claudio Gentile had to take heed from that warning sign and make changes.
Some were forced upon him, as Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi was suspended, so he introduced Sampdoria's Marco Donadel and pushed the so far disappointing Andrea Pirlo further up the field for a more attack-minded line-up. Cesare Bovo also replaced Andrea Barzagli in central defence.
The Azzurrini went very close after just three minutes when a defensive error handed the ball to Alberto Gilardino from ten yards, but he only managed to toe-poke it past the far post.
Mali gradually increased the pressure, but the defence held out firm against Sissoko and N'Dyae efforts. Gilardino was the danger man for Italy and the Africans reserved some special attention for the striker, Kone booked for a sliding challenge after he had already undergone treatment for a knock.
There was real danger on the half-hour mark, as Ivan Pelizzoli got down well to palm out Diallo's surprise angled drive that was heading for just inside the far post.
It was a warning, as on 32 minutes Matteo Ferrari tripped Traore in the box and the Paraguayan referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Valencia man Sissoko stepped up, but Roma goalkeeper Pelizzoli proved decisive by parrying his penalty and the follow-up from Diallo.
When Italy did manage to get forward, Gilardino and Giampiero Pinzi were repeatedly caught offside, not always accurately.
But Mali were more dangerous and Pelizzoli required another desperate save to keep out Diallo's long-range drive, with help from Ferrari to clear the loose ball from six yards.
The second half kicked off with another scare, as N'Dyae burst into the box and cut back for Traore, but his shot was charged down by Ferrari.
Italy's best chance of the game so far came on 52 minutes, when Gilardino captured Sculli's pass and turned well, only to bring a great save out of Bathily.
Sculli was then on the other end as he hooked down Pirlo's splendid cross-field pass, but brave defending plucked the ball off his foot as he lined up the shot.
Udinese midfielder Pinzi's appeals for a shove by Tamboura on the very edge of the penalty area were waved away, while Traore's header was off target and Pelizzoli was again called to parry a N'Dyae snapshot.
Gilardino was beginning to push his way into the area and sprung the offside trap on a perfectly timed Pirlo through ball, but then turned his angled drive wide of an open goal.
Gentile made his now traditional substitution with 15 minutes left on the clock, replacing Sculli with Brescia forward Simone Del Nero. Cesare Bovo was granted a free header on Pirlo's free kick and turned it well wide.
Berthe curled a free kick a metre wide of the near post, but the deadlock could not be broken and the tie went to extra time.
Boco curled a free kick wide of the target, then the temperature on the field rose when Mali carried on their move despite the fact Pinzi was on the ground in need of treatment.
Pelizzoli was again decisive with a good block on substitute Abouta's effort, while Gilardino turned two headers off target from Del Nero and Pirlo assists.
In the second period of extra time Gentile introduced Palermo's attacking winger Andrea Gasbarroni for Pinzi. Italy had a golden opportunity to win the match when a corner was whipped in quickly by Pirlo, but the unmarked Ferrari somehow ballooned it over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The game seemed to be heading towards penalties, but in the closing moments of extra time Pirlo curled in one his trademark free kicks and found the head of Roma defender Cesare Bovo. The Mali goalkeeper managed to get a hand to it, but the angle was too tight for him to keep it out of the bottom corner of the net.
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Italy: Pelizzoli; Moretti, Ferrari, Bovo, Bonera; Pinzi (Gasbarroni 109), Palombo, Donadel, Sculli (Del Nero 75); Pirlo; Gilardino
Mali: Bathily; Tamboura, Kone, Diakite, Coulibaly; Berthe (A Traore 106), Sissoko, N'Dyae; D Traore (Abouta 81), Kebe (Sidibe 114), Diallo
Ref: Torres (Par)
Missed Penalty: Sissoko 34 (M)
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