Super Mario Sends Italy to the Finals

Posted On 29 Jun 2012

Mario Balotelli’s two goals were enough to book Italy a final’s date with Spain in Kiev on Sunday in the ongoing Euro 2012 and to ensure the record that Italy has never lost to Germany in a football tournament still stood.

There are hardly more controversial strikers in football as the Manchester United forward but with an impressive performance in the game; “Super Mario” as he is nicknamed now has a chance of making himself an Italian Soccer Legend. Prior to the tournament Balotelli had said He would kill anyone who throws a banana at him on the streets but tonight he calls it the “best night of his life”.

With the Germans unable to settle to their free flowing fast paced football style, their ever reliable defence let them down this time. The old war horse Andrea Pirlo was pulling the strings in the midfield and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was handy catching everything the Germans could muster.

Mario nodded in Antonio Cassano’s cross on the twentieth minute with the German goalkeeper Neuer wrongly footed. After waiting sixteen minutes for a German response and getting none safe a Khedira strike on the 34^th minute, Balotelli got a second for his side. A quick break from a Germany corner kick released the 21 year old and another shambolic defending saw him outpace his marker to send a thunderous strike onto the roof of the net and Neuer to his knees.

The Germans were behind for the first time in the tournament and at half time, Joachim Loew pulled out the ineffective duo of Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski for Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus. Philip Lahm had an opportunity to get one back for his side but wasted it when he was sent clear in the early minutes of the second half.

The famous “Italian Defence” lived up to its billing and the Italians almost wrapped it up through Claudio Marchisio who squandered the opportunity. With the 90 minutes already played, Federico Balzaretti got a nervy few seconds for his side when he handled the ball in the area. Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil dispatched the spot kick superbly but it was a little too late for the Germans.

Super Mario Balotelli’s double had won it for the Italians!

About the Author

Karen Kinsey with a degree in journalism. She ended up going into the education field and has been a teacher for the past six years. Karen Kinsey is a television producer, writer, editor, professor, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and longtime, diehard Phillies fan. Karen Kinsey writings have been featured in such mainstream media as The Guardian, USA Today, Global Times, China Daily, Beijing Review, among others.