<span lang="EN-US"><font face="Times New Roman"><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3">Italy VS France, two European veterans repeat the Europe 2000 Championship Finals in <state wst="on"></state><place wst="on"></place>Berlin<place></place><state></state> after going through tough knock-out rounds gallantly. Will it be <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region>’s defence or <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region>’s good play? Will it be a perfect finale for Zidane? A four time champion or two time champion to be produced? Who will smile to the last? All is to be revealed in the wonderful stadium of <place wst="on"></place><state wst="on"></state>Berlin<state></state><place></place>.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font><span lang="EN-US"><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p></span></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></span><place></place><country-region></country-region></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="3"><span lang="EN-US">Italy</span><place></place><country-region></country-region><span lang="EN-US"> had shown everyone in the past month that they could play good football. They made the host nations bow in homage after a classic two minutes. <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region> faced <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Germany<place></place><country-region></country-region> calmly and came up with their best match in this World Cup. <country-region wst="on"></country-region>France<country-region></country-region>, as compared to <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region>, had gone through much more challenge, <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Spain<country-region></country-region>, <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Brazil<country-region></country-region> and <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>ortugal<place></place><country-region></country-region>. They began their campaign badly and faced early elimination after two draws with <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Korea<country-region></country-region> and <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Switzerland<place></place><country-region></country-region> respectively. However, <country-region wst="on"></country-region>France<country-region></country-region> came through all the obstacles on their road to <state wst="on"></state><place wst="on"></place>Berlin<place></place><state></state> with Zidane regaining his great performance. Nobody had expected they could go so far and it is now all up to them to bring the trophy back to <place wst="on"></place><city wst="on"></city>aris<city></city><place></place>.</span></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font><span lang="EN-US"><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p></span></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="3"><span lang="EN-US">In my own opinion, I think <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region>’s chances of winning are much higher. Although I do not like their defensive style, I cannot deny their performance and their terrific squad. Unlike <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region>, their team is much balanced, not only with a good 11 men but also with a wonderful bench too. <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region> always relies on certain players’ performance to send them through. I have also seen a better Italian side as compared to past international competitions. I think their success in this World Cup was mainly that they did not maintain their “One Goal Policy” anymore and they have a good coach too. They are always trying to create goal scoring chances and are positive all the time.&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></font></font></p><p><font size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3">In fact, few have expected the final showdown is to be competed between <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region> and <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region> as both teams have displayed little cutting edge in their opening games. It is a final with many coincidences, for example, a repeat of the Euro 2000 championship finals. Although <country-region wst="on"></country-region>France<country-region></country-region>’s road to the final was much gallant than <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region> and I look up to them more, many factors are still not on their side. For example, some coincidences, statistics and team’s strength are all on <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region>’s side. I also look up to <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region>’s terrific defence, conceding only one own goal in this World Cup and their goalkeeper, Buffon is so good as ever. <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region> has also shown their champion qualities in their match against the hosts.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font><span lang="EN-US"><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p></span></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="3"><span lang="EN-US">In statistics terms, <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region> is a better side. However, football has many unpredictable factors that can alter a match’s results. Thus, this is going to be a very tight competition and both teams have good chances of winning. The gap between <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region> and <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region> is really small so it will be a very heated match. <place wst="on"></place><country-region wst="on"></country-region>France<country-region></country-region><place></place> has depended much on Zidane in their past three matches and the performance of Zizou will be a factor of the result today.</span><span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;</span></font></font></p><p><font size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3">Will <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region>’s defence hold and give <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region> a fatal blow or Zizou will conjure up a perfect finale magically? This is soon to be determined.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font><span lang="EN-US"><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p></span></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3">As for my prediction, I think <country-region wst="on"></country-region>Italy<country-region></country-region> and <country-region wst="on"></country-region>France<country-region></country-region> will draw in 90 minutes and <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>Italy<place></place><country-region></country-region> will win in extra time. If the match is brought into a Penalty Shoot-Out, <country-region wst="on"></country-region><place wst="on"></place>France<place></place><country-region></country-region>’s chances should be higher.</font></span></p><place></place><state></state></font></span>

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-7-9 22:48:00编辑过]

<font face="Comic Sans MS" size="2">Bro CCfeng,<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I also hold forth on Italy's victory before the last debut was performed.&nbsp; And the 90 minute match and first 20 minute has proved my thoughts as Italy and France made a draw in the final.&nbsp; Well, it's quite common and as my originally expected.&nbsp; However, Zidane's headbutt against Materazzi has been totally out of my imagination as it's coming from that captain, one of the greatest footballers in the world with numerous glories from his past experience.&nbsp; I don't what exactly Materazzi said to him at that moment, Personally I understand him as a man he should defend for his relatives and himself if any indignity occurred on him.&nbsp; But what he did and his impetus eventually ruined all his teammate’s efforts and the dream of France to grasp the 2nd title of world cup crashed. This is not worth doing it for Zizou.&nbsp; And Zidane end up his career of last game with such a curtain call, pitifully</font>[em10]

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-7-13 9:35:35编辑过]