Italian soccer has deservedly gotten a bit of a bad rap in recent years, with match-fixing scandals and fan violence besmirching the good name of the sport and threatening to overshadow the success of the national side (Forza Azzurri!) in winning the 2006 World Cup.
The Italian game -- at least the style most usually associated with the national team -- is often marked by slowing things down, hoping to score a goal on a counter-attack and then holding on with a fortress-like defense to eke out 1-0 victories.
On the league level, thank goodness, the clubs in Serie A play at a more aggressive pace than the Azzurri, and the venerable AS Roma squad, led by captain Francesco Totti, is normally always good for an entertaining display.
Today, Rome beat Parma 4-0, with the third goal coming on a beautiful strike by the aforementioned Totti, set up nicely by a one-two punch of a cross by Brazilian Cicinho and a deft backheel from substitute Mauro Esposito. Check out Totti's gollasso here.
The Italian game -- at least the style most usually associated with the national team -- is often marked by slowing things down, hoping to score a goal on a counter-attack and then holding on with a fortress-like defense to eke out 1-0 victories.
On the league level, thank goodness, the clubs in Serie A play at a more aggressive pace than the Azzurri, and the venerable AS Roma squad, led by captain Francesco Totti, is normally always good for an entertaining display.
Today, Rome beat Parma 4-0, with the third goal coming on a beautiful strike by the aforementioned Totti, set up nicely by a one-two punch of a cross by Brazilian Cicinho and a deft backheel from substitute Mauro Esposito. Check out Totti's gollasso here.
1 comment:
Excellent post.
(Which is perhaps a less narcissistic way of saying I agree completely.)
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