Christian Panucci and a Gigi Buffon penalty save on Adrian Mutu keeps Italy in Euro 2008 by holding Romania 1-1. It’ll all go down to the final game of Group C against France.

Roberto Donadoni made sweeping changes from the side that was thrashed 3-0 by Holland, introducing Fabio Grosso, Simone Perrotta, Daniele De Rossi, Giorgio Chiellini and captain Alessandro Del Piero. This was a must-win game to avoid crashing out in the first round and Romania had a point under their belts after frustrating France in a goalless encounter.

Many Serie A notables were in the Romanian ranks, including Inter’s Cristian Chivu, Fiorentina star Adrian Mutu and Paul Constantin Codrea of Siena. The last time these teams met in a major competition was Italy’s 2-0 victory in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals, followed by three Azzurri wins between qualifiers and friendlies without conceding a goal. Romania’s only triumphs were both 1-0 in a March 1989 friendly and Euro ‘84 qualifier.

Italy were immediately more aggressive and effective, Del Piero’s deflected header turned wide from a couple of yards from Perrotta’s assist. De Rossi was halted at the byeline by a desperate Mutu tackle, then as the move continued Luca Toni couldn’t get enough contact on a blazing Mauro Camoranesi cross from the left.

However, as against Holland, they were left exposed to the counter as Gigi Buffon got down smartly to save Mutu’s angled drive. Toni nodded another Grosso cross over the bar, but Buffon performed another fine intervention on a daisy-cutter of a touched-on free kick from Gabriel Tamas.

Buffon was beaten on 20 minutes by a curling Chivu free kick that took a massive deflection off Christian Panucci’s back to crack against the base of the upright. There was a blow for Romania moments later, as teammates Mirel Radoi and Razvan Rat clashed heads and the former could not continue, making way for Steaua Bucharest companion Nicolae Dica.

Del Piero came flying in and was inches away from getting his head to a sweeping Grosso centre, while Toni’s header skimmed the post from a Camoranesi cross.

Rat unleashed a fierce left-foot strike from 25 metres that swept just wide of the target. Codrea shoved Del Piero over outside the box, but the captain blasted well over.

There was a great chance when Toni knocked down Zambrotta’s cross for Perrotta, but some desperate defending blocked his path from six yards. From the resulting corner, Bogdan Lobont tipped a Chiellini header out from under the crossbar. Another corner and an even better Lobont save on Toni. The siege continued with Toni’s header for Chiellini and the former Fiorentina goalkeeper flying in to punch it off his foot.

Mutu was the first into the book for a very high tackle on Andrea Pirlo. Toni hit the back of the net from a touched-on corner kick in first half stoppages, but it was disallowed for an offside position that replays show was an incorrect decision, as Codrea was clearly keeping him and Del Piero in play.

The second half started in similar fashion, Lobont fingertipping a Pirlo cross off the head of Toni. Codrea anticipated Del Piero as he was lining up the shot from the D on Toni’s assist, though Buffon smothered a Mutu long-range attempt.

Against the run of play, Romania took a shock lead on 55 minutes. Mutu pounced on a disastrous defensive error, Zambrotta’s weak back header, to run alone into the box and smash his finish into the near top corner where Buffon could not reach.

The lead lasted all of 60 seconds before Italy drew level. Chiellini knocked down a De Rossi corner kick for Panucci to tap in from a yard at the back post. It was Italy’s first goal in the competition. Donadoni knew a win was necessary and threw on Antonio Cassano for Perrotta and an all-attack formation, moving Camoranesi into the centre.

It was end to end stuff and Grosso flung himself at Florentin Petre to charge him down when clear on goal. Petre made way for Banel Nicolita, while Pirlo and Chivu were booked for late challenges.

Cassano and Del Piero combined brilliantly down the left and the Juventus man threaded through for Toni, but he was a yard too slow to tap in from seven yards. Del Piero accidentally charged down a shot from teammate De Rossi.

Grosso had to rescue another chaotic situation in his own box, closing down Niculae following a lucky ricochet, then Chiellini headed away a Nicolita strike. Lobont was almost caught out by a dangerous Zambrotta cross-shot, blocking it just before the entire ball crossed the line.

Dorin Goian was booked for time-wasting and will be suspended for the next game.

In a splendid team move, Toni knocked down the ball with his chest for De Rossi’s diving header, bringing another fantastic save out of Lobont on 75 minutes.

Fabio Quagliarella replaced captain Del Piero, handing the armband to Buffon. It was almost an own goal as Cassano’s backheel sent Zambrotta running and Lobont smothered a defensive header.

Moments later Zambrotta again got to the byeline from Cassano and the cross was deflected to flash across an empty net. Panucci’s error handed Nicolita the ball and De Rossi came flying in to clear before he could shoot.

There was further controversy on 80 minutes when the referee pointed to the spot for Panucci’s challenge on Dica. It seemed a harsh decision, but Buffon made it academic as he parried Mutu’s fairly central penalty! It was an instinctive save, the ball riocheting off his hand to strike his leg and go out.

Donadoni’s final substitution was Massimo Ambrosini for Camoranesi. Toni was livid soon after as he fell when trying to get to Cassano’s cross, but the referee was correct in awarding the foul against him.

A dispirited Mutu made way for Cocis in the final minutes and Cassano’s cross-shot landed on the roof of the net following a smart Grosso dummy. A crucial tackle stopped Grosso’s slalom in the box during stoppages and at the other end De Rossi was harshly booked for what seemed to be a well-timed challenge on ex-Milan man Cosmin Contra.
Italy: Buffon; Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso; Camoranesi (Ambrosini 85), Pirlo, De Rossi, Perrotta (Cassano 56); Del Piero (Quagliarella 77), Toni

Romania: Lobont; Contra, Tamas, Goian, Rat; Radoi (Dica 25), Codrea, Chivu; Mutu (Cocis 88), Petre (Nicolita 60); D Niculae

Ref: Ovrebo (Nor)

Missed penalty: Mutu 81 (R