YOU COULD SAY FRANCESCO TOTTI LIFTED ITALY INTO THE WORLD CUP'S KNOCKOUT STAGE WHILE AVOIDING BRAZIL. YOU COULD ALSO SAY HE HAD A TERRIBLE GAME, REUTERS REPORTED. THE MIDFIELD STAR, BARELY RECOVERED FROM A BROKEN LEFT ANKLE SUFFERED IN A LEAGUE MATCH IN FEBRUARY, OFTEN SEEMED TO BE OPERATING IN SLOW MOTION DURING A 2-0 VICTORY WEDNESDAY OVER INJURY-PLAGUED CZECH REPUBLIC, WHICH ALLOWED ITALY TO FINISH TOP OF GROUP E. THE CONTRAST WAS ESPECIALLY STARK WITH HIS CZECH RIVAL PAVEL NEDVED AND STRIKER MILAN BAROS, WHO PLAYED HIS FIRST WORLD CUP MATCH AND TERRORISED THE ITALIAN DEFENCE IN THE FIRST HALF ONLY TO SEE HIS SIDE GO OUT. BUT IN THE END TOTTI, 29, MADE SURE THAT HE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE UP FOR PAST DISASTERS. HE WAS SENT OFF AGAINST SOUTH KOREA IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE 2002 WORLD CUP WHEN ITALY WENT OUT AGAINST THE CO-HOSTS, AND HE WAS REVILED AND SUSPENDED FOR SPITTING AT A DANISH OPPONENT DURING ITALY'S BOTCHED EURO 2004. "MY FITNESS IS IMPROVING WITH EACH GAME, I AM TRYING TO REGAIN THE FORM I HAD THREE MONTHS AGO," HE SAID AFTER THE MATCH. AGAINST THE CREATIVE CZECH STARS, THE AS ROMA GLAMOUR MAN PLAYED THE FULL 90 MINUTES AND WAS INVOLVED IN THE GAME'S TWO KEY SITUATIONS. IN THE 26TH MINUTE, IT WAS TOTTI'S CORNER-KICK THAT SUBSTITUTE DEFENDER MARCO MATERAZZI ROSE HIGH TO HEAD PAST PETR CECH. FOR MATERAZZI, BROUGHT ON NINE MINUTES EARLIER AFTER ALESSANDRO NESTA SUFFERED A GROIN STRAIN, THE GOAL WAS PERHAPS EVEN SWEETER THAN FOR TOTTI. WITH A REPUTATION FOR OVERLY ROUGH TACKLING, MATERAZZI WAS ON THE BENCH FOR A REASON. "I WAS JUST A SUBSTITUTE, SO THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY PLAYER," HE SAID. "IT IS ALSO A VINDICATION, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME UNFAIR COMMENTS ABOUT ME AND SOME OTHERS." --MORE 22/06/2006 23:08 ت م
