Australia v Italy

and I'm rooting for Australia. Mostly because they've never been this far in this tournament, but mostly because Italy are a bunch of cheating, whinging cowards with no regard for the beauty of the game. but, my gods who developed this inane 4-5-1 system and why is everyone using it? Australia will be lining up in this formation with Viduka the only man up top. Senseless. Viduka is a helluva striker, but the man needs a partner to play off. He no longer has the speed or stamina to go one-on-one with these back 4 boys. Give him Kewell or even Emerton to work with and the game balance will flow much nicer. Francesco Totti is out for Italy which will work in Australia's favour. Now, if we can get the officials to be up to the task as well as the players, we should be in for one cracker of a game. The Australians are very hard-working, strong & enterprising, while the Italians are very technically gifted, even if they are sore-losers. And the game is on. I'll report back mid-way through. And, again, thanks to Eurosport for allowing me the option of reading these games while they're happening. Cheers to that. **UPDATE** The teams leave the field for the dressing room very nearly even on all accounts. 50-50 possession. 1 yellow card apiece. Similary corner & offsides counts. It's beena very even contest proven in fact by the 0-0 scoreline. Of course, we all know it can't stay at that score, there has to be a winner in this game. Come on the 'Roos! And the second half has started. Tim Cahill for Australia almost immediately gets a yellow card for leading with his arm. He knows better than that. But, as if in effort to outdo the Aussies, the Italians go for a straight red card...and get it. On the 50th minute Materazzi hacks down a breaking Bresciano to gain a red card for his team. Let's hope this doens't disintegrate into a match like yesterday where there were more cards than passes. With that red card the immediate tide has shifted. It's all Australia now and Buffon is having to make save after save. More later. When is a penalty not a penalty? When it's given to a whinging Azurri after he trips on a blade of grass in the 90th minute of a must-win game. Australia lost because of a single bad call. The teams had held each other to a scintillating goal-less draw and the game was set to head to overtime. But no. Instead a very dubious penalty was awarded and the Italians scored to send them through and the Aussies home. Damn the luck. Wastrel On! (Listening to KTU & Adrian Belew)