Express & Star

Picture of the day – July 4

Fabio Grosso’s extra-time shot beats Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to seal a World Cup final spot for Italy in 2006.

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Jens Lehmann watches helplessly as Fabio Grosso’s extra-time shot hits the back of the net in the World Cup semi-final between Germany and Italy.

The game in Dortmund looked set for a penalty shoot-out before Italian left-back Grosso, teed up by a delightful Andrea Pirlo pass, curled the ball past goalkeeper Lehmann in the 119th minute.

A minute later Lehmann was then beaten again, substitute Alessandro Del Piero finishing off a break to make it 2-0 and seal a place in the Berlin final for Marcello Lippi’s men.

That subsequent contest, against France, also went to extra-time and then penalties, with Italy triumphing 5-3 in the shoot-out following a 1-1 draw.

The match at the Olympiastadion famously saw France captain Zinedine Zidane red-carded in extra time for headbutting fellow goalscorer Marco Materazzi in the chest.

Italy’s triumph gave them their fourth World Cup title, and first since 1982. Jurgen Klinsmann’s Germany ended up coming third after a 3-1 play-off win over Portugal.

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