Germans mourn, Italians await opponents

By Andrew Gray

MUNICH (Reuters) – Germans packed up their black, red and
gold flags and mused about what might have been on Wednesday
after Italy beat them in a heart-breaking World Cup semi-final
clash.

The Azzurri can look forward to Sunday’s final against
France or Portugal in Berlin’s Olympiastadion. Those two teams,
led by aging maestros and former Real Madrid team mates
Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo, meet at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) in
Munich.

Coach Marcello Lippi’s Italian side will be feeling
confident after their stellar performance on Tuesday in
Dortmund.

With only minutes left in extra time and the match heading
for a penalty shootout, the Italians shocked the hosts with two
beautiful goals from opposite corners of German keeper Jens
Lehmann’s area.

The curling shots — from defender Fabio Grosso and striker
Alessandro Del Piero — silenced the partisan crowd of 65,000
in the Westfalenstadion and the millions of Germans watching in
cities and towns across the soccer-mad nation.

On Wednesday, the country reflected on its team’s fairytale
run to the final four and did its best to cast a positive light
on the hugely disappointing setback.

“The dream is over,” “The night of tears,” and “We’re
crying with you,” were splashed across the front pages of
German newspapers alongside images of tearful players,
distraught fans and coach Juergen Klinsmann burying his face in
his hands.

“This World Cup has changed the emotional state of this
country,” wrote Berlin tabloid BZ.

“The dream of victory has died, but Germany still won,
because we will never forget these days, our pride and the
joyful black, red and gold and the carefree spirit of the
heroes surrounding Klinsmann.”

MASSIVE INTEREST

Such was the interest in the game that television viewer
ratings reached a record 29.7 million, which does not include
the millions who watched in bars and in public viewing venues,
according to a German media watchdog.

A whopping one million fans — nearly a third of Berlin’s
total population — had gathered in the capital’s “Fan Mile”
next to the Brandenburg Gate, waving flags and decked out in
black, red and gold hats, scarves and capes.

“Germans are identifying with their country and their
national flag and I think that is great,” German President
Horst Koehler told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper.

“We are on the right path toward coming out as Germans, and
to be proud of what we have achieved since 1945.”

Regardless of who wins the final, Germany can comfort
itself with the knowledge that the month-long soccer
extravaganza has been hugely successful.

The hooliganism and violence that has marred previous
tournaments has not materialized and the few instances of
trouble have been contained by a well-organized German police
force. Pre-tournament fears that foreign visitors might face
racist attacks in Germany’s former communist east have proven
unfounded.

And Klinsmann’s side, criticized as weak and uninspired
before the World Cup kicked off, rode a patriotic German wave
further than many had imagined a few weeks ago.

If the soccer played on Wednesday in Munich and in Berlin
next Sunday is of the same quality as Tuesday’s pulsating
encounter in Dortmund, then even the despondent Germans may
find reasons to cheer again.