Azzurris shoot past Oranje’

AMSTERDAM, JUNE 30: Ten-man Italy lined up a Euro 2000 final with France here on Thursday, beating Holland 3-1 on penalties after the Dutc...

AMSTERDAM, JUNE 30: Ten-man Italy lined up a Euro 2000 final with France here on Thursday, beating Holland 3-1 on penalties after the Dutch had missed two spot-kicks during the opening 90 minutes. The match was deadlocked at 0-0 after extra-time and Italy, whose last three World Cup campaigns have all ended in defeat in penalty shoot-outs, sealed victory when Dutch defender Paul Bosvelt saw his spot-kick saved by Francesco Toldo.

Frank de Boer, Jaap Stam and Bosvelt all missed for the Dutch while only Patrick Kluivert netted successfully in the shoot-out for the Oranje’. In contrast, Luigi di Biagio, Gianluca Pessotto and Francesco Totti all hit the target in the shoot-out for Italy with only Paolo Maldini failing. But if Frank De Boer and Kluivert had scored in normal time from spot kicks, then the Dutch would have avoided any need for the shoot-out but now it is Italy who will face world champions France in Sunday’s final — in all, Holland missed five out of six penalty attempts.

Italy coach Dino Zoff said: “We played better in the second-half than we did in the first.” Zoff was asked to smile by Italian journalists but retorted in his usual deadpan manner: “Let’s wait until the final — but this is a good result for us.”

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Toldo, understandably, was the hero of the hour but the modest Fiorentina keeper told Rai UNO: “It was the whole team that deserved to win — especially in the second half when they worked their socks off.”

The semi-final was a victory for Italian defending over Dutch attacking, with Zoff’s back line putting in a heroic performance after playing almost 90 minutes of football with only 10 men against the tournament hosts and favourites. Gianluca Zambrotta got his marching orders in the 33rd minute from German referee Markus Merk after a second yellow card — tripping midfielder Boudewijn Zenden, who had been booked minutes earlier for taking a dive in the penalty area.

Six minutes after the Juventus winger was dismissed, Holland were awarded their first penalty when Lazio skipper Alessandro Nesta tugged at Patrick Kluivert’s shirt as the Dutchman controlled the ball in the area. Toldo was booked for protesting at the decision but took his revenge almost immediately. De Boer cracked in his shot but Toldo guessed it would go to his left and pulled off a spectacular save, arms flailing, to push the ball away for a corner.

It was the second setback for the Dutch in a half which had also seen Arsenal forward Dennis Bergkamp hit the post after delightfully sidestepping Mark Iuliano. The Dutch pressure and dogged Italian defending continued in the second half — causing another penalty in the 61st minute when Iuliano tripped Edgar Davids as his Juventus teammate accelerated past. Kluivert stepped up for the kick and beat Toldo with a low shot — but could only watch in horror as it slammed against the base of the left-hand post and was scrambled away by the Italian defence.