THE HEADLINES in Italy's specialist sports press yesterday said it all. Gazzetta Dello Sportcarried a front page banner title that read, "Trap, What a Rip-Off!", Tuttosporthad another front page headline, reading "Trap Mugged, France Go Through Thanks To A Bogus Goal" whilst Corriere Dello Sport's front page read simply "France, What A Scandal!"
Even though Italy ran out 1-0 winners of a friendly against Sweden in Cesena last night, Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri took a clear second place to Ireland in the extensive media coverage afforded to Ireland’s luckless World Cup elimination by France in Paris last night.
Throughout this World Cup campaign, Italian media have paid much, usually favourable attention to the exploits of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni and his “men in green”.
Most Italian commentators expressed a sense of outrage, arguing that Ireland and il vecchio Trap had been “robbed”. Many inevitably made reference to the controversial referee who oversaw the elimination of the Trapattoni coached Italy by South Korea at the 2002 World Cup.
Typical was this front page comment from Gazzetta Dello Sport: "Il vecchio Trap (old Trap) has been thrown out of the South African World Cup finals by a vile goal, scored in extra-time by Henry with a handball move, and one that was condoned by the referee Hansson.
“Another Moreno, another world cup scandal and all in the France of (Uefa president) Michel Platini . . . it is absolutely incredible that at the beginning of the third millennium such an important game can be decided by such an obviously irregular goal. We all saw it. Is it possible that the referee’s assistant did not see it? It would make you want to institute instant, side of pitch, slow-motion replays. And now we want to see some sort of exemplary punishment for both Henry and Hansson”
Corriere Dello Sporttouched on the same old Trapattoni sore point, namely Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno, saying: "For poor old Trap, after Moreno in 2002, another scandalous piece of refereeing . . . In the end, he was beaten by a clearly foul goal, created by two hand balls from Henry . . . "
Turin sports daily, Tuttosportlikewise expressed outrage at the match result, commenting: "Domenech's France go to the World Cup finals thanks to a foul goal, created by a handball by Henry . . . Having given everything, more than everything, Trap's Ireland had to give in . . . "
Rome daily, La Repubblicaconcluded that luck had not been with Trapattoni and Ireland on the night, writing: "After Keane's goal, Ireland were dreaming that they might make it, perhaps in a penalty shoot-out. Unfortunately for him, Trap found two obstacles on the road to South Africa, namely Italy and France, the two finalists at Berlin 2006. He was not lucky, our Trap, the door was slammed in his face by Swedish referee Hansson."
La Repubblicaadded, however, that Trapattoni deserved a full round of applause for the Irish performance, saying: "After all the endless recriminations, hope has gone. A round of applause, please, for Mr Hope (Trapattoni)."
