FRANCE 98 – Match Summary n°4

Bordeaux, 11 juin, 17 h 30

A controversial penalty five minutes from the end saw Italy salvage a 2-2 draw with Chile in their World Cup opener here on Thursday.

After two magical moments from Chilean strike sensation Marcelo Salas had given the South American side a 2-1 lead, Niger referee Lucian Bouchardeau threw Italy a lifeline. Roberto Baggio, on the edge of the box, tried to chip. The ball smashed into the hand of Chilean defender Francisco Rojas and Bouchardeau stunned everyone when he immediately pointed to the centre spot. Baggio stepped up to hit it hard and low into the left hand corner to save Italy from a humbling defeat.

It was a bitter blow for Chile who pulled themselves back into the game thanks to Salas. The 23-year-old struck in injury time of the first-half when Ivan Zamorano headed down a Fabian Estay corner to find Salas lurking on the edge of the six-yard box. Before the Italian defence could react the ball was in the back of the net. Four minutes after the restart the 20 million dollar striker struck again when he lept on a cross floated to the far post. Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro was unable to stop the South American from heading the ball into the corner, well out of reach of a diving Gianluca Pagliuca. It was a chilling warning for the Italian players who will face Salas in the Serie A next season when he teams up with Lazio. And it was a bitter blow for an Italian team hoping to go one better than beaten finalists in the 1994 World Cup when they lost the penalty shoot-out to Brazil.

Until Salas’ opening strike the Italians had given a typically clinical performance, dominating the Chilean side. Italy opened the scoring after only 10 minutes when captain Paolo Maldini, deep in his own half, sent a perfectly flighted ball to Roberto Baggio free on the left. The veteran Baggio, a member of Italy’s 1994 World Cup final side, split the Chilean defence, leaving Christian Vieri with nothing to do but slip the ball past Chilean keeper Nelson Tapia. The 31-year-old Tapia got a hand to it but not enough to stop Italy going in front.

Three minutes later Vieri had a chance to make it two-nil when he found space on the left side of the area but his angled shot was easily gathered in by Tapia. Chile attempted to pick up their pace but time and time again the Italians closed down the midfield, smothering the South American strike duo of Zamorano and Salas.

The first hint that Salas might explode came in the 24th minute when Zamorano got the ball to him when he escaped the defence at the far post. Pagliuca was slow to get off his line but Salas headed over the bar from only five yards. But despite the hint, it was the Italians who looked by far the more dangerous. Maldini, linking with Baggio on the left, harried the Chilean defence. Baggio beat two men in the area before being half-tackled. The ball broke to Roberto Di Matteo but the charging Tapia managed to palm the ball over for a corner. Eight minutes from the end of the half Baggio cut the Chilean defence open with a pass to Vieri but the 24-year-old was just a step too short as Tapia went down to smother the pass. Baggio had a chance in the 41st minute to put his name on the scoresheet but he lost his footing in the area as he tried to turn a defender but then with time running out Salas struck. When he scored his second the Italians suddenly took on an air of panic as defeat stared them in the face. Meanwhile the Chileans, growing in confidence, continued to press, refusing to sit on their lead.

Defender Francisco Rojas’ penetrating runs up the left unsettled a jittery Italian defence. Tapia pulled off a great save from Filippo Inzaghi when he was put through by Baggio but the Chilean defence looked set to hold on – until Bouchardeau whistled that disputed penalty.