First semifinal is Germany - Italy.
I was thinking today: everybody I was talking to 2 weeks ago would have said I was crazy saying that teams like Argentina and Spain would not go too far because of burnout. Well, yet again, the great teams started playing real football when they needed it.

Italy is into the semis: they will play Germany in the first semifinal of the World Cup 2006.

Luca Toni scored his first goal of the World Cup with a header and Italy is almost qualified in a semi-final with Germany. THey lead 2-0 right now and they are looking good.
Ukraine missed one chance and hit the cross-bar in another, but Italy seems the better team.

A shot by Zambrotta from 25m wide gave Italy the early lead.

Alessandro Nesta is confirmed not to play with his team, Italy, against Ukraine in their match in the third stage of the World Cup.

The 30-year-old, who missed Marcello Lippi’s side’s 1-0 Round of 16 win against Australia, is hopeful of being fit for the semi-finals should the Azzurri advance.
“I visited a clinic here in Duisburg […]

So, they reached the shootouts, after a goal from Ayala and one from Klose that kept them leveled after 120 minutes. Remember that Argentina changed goalkeepers because of Abbondanzieri’s injury.
These are the shots and the results of the shots:
1.
Germany: Neuville scores: 1-0
Argentina: J. Cruz scores: 1-1
Both keepers guessed right, but the shot was too […]

Ukraine played like an Italian team: good defence and scoring when they need to.

Ukraine’s approach possesses a striking similarity to tactics first showcased by Italy, whom they will meet next. For Marcello Lippi’s men, their 1-0 defeat of Australia with a last-minute Francesco Totti penalty represented a return to the style of play that was […]

Ronaldo overtook Gerd Muller record and already scored 15 times in World Cups.

After overtaking Gerd Muller as the tournament’s most prolific marksman, Ronaldo made it abundantly clear that - while delighted by his achievement - his appetite for goals had merely been whetted.
He said: “The record is the culmination of many years of hard […]

Germany and Argentina have reached overtime and will now play the 30 more minutes. It was a good game so far, with both teams being very careful not to receive any goal.

Klose scored his first header and they are leveled.