Good afternoon, friends, we’re coming to you live from our swealtering apartment, where we plan on watching Italy upset Germany. Yup, that’s right, we’ve reversed our pick. Much of it has to do with the Germans now having to play without defensive midfielder Torsten Frings for throwing a punch in the aftermath of Germany’s lucky penalty kick victory over Argentina. American fans – the few still paying attention the world’s greatest sporting event – consider this sweet justice for 2002, when Frings appeared to use his hands to prevent a goal in Germany’s 1-0 quarterfinal win in 2002.

At any rate, the photo featured above is the beautiful Ilary Blasi, the wife of Italy’s Francisco Totti. She remains far and away the hottest WAG in the World Cup.

We’re predicting Italy with a 2-1 overtime victory. And we’re off!

2 min – How much will Ballack have to fade back on defense to make up for the loss of Frings? That’s why we took Italy. Ballack is the most important cog – in our opinion – to the Germany attack.
4 min – Wow. Totti with a 40-yard free kick rocket that is caught by Lehman. Not a bad idea.
6 min – Italy sure is fouling a lot early. No cards yet, but rough play from the pretty boys Italians.
7 min – Italy’s Gattuso is being called “The Dog.” With that beard, doesn’t he look like a wolf? Or a bear?
8 min – Klose and Podolski have already been taken down hard in the first eight minutes. Argentina did the same thing, and it worked. Both were ineffective for the first 75 minutes.
10 min – ESPN loves the stat about Germany being virtually unstoppable with Ballack (20-0-2) in World Cup games.
11 min – Sloppy effort by Lahm, just losing the ball on the sideline. Italy struggling to put a few passes together … until now. nice cross by Grosso. But nobody home. Corner for Italy.
12 min – While the corner wasn’t successful, Lehman was wayyyyy out of position. He’s the weak link at the back.
13 min – Podolski at the top of the 18 spins and takes a whack, but it’s deflected by a defender. Germany running circles around Italy in the midfield early.
15 min – Jurgen Klinnsman is a visionary? Great! Let’s get him to the US for Bruce Arena. What’s that? Klinnsman is already in the US? Perfect!
15 min – Podolski streaking toward a free ball in the box, but Cannavaro beat him to it and booted it out.
16 min – Pirlo chased down a great pass into the box, but couldn’t get enough of a foot on it before Lehman pounced.
17 min – Italy showing more life. Totti’s 18-yard shot is deflected out of harm’s way.
18 min – Celo Balboa says he’s scared for the Italian defense. We agree. End to end action … corner for Germany … nothing.
19 min – Anyone else think Ballack looks a bit like actor Eddie Cibrian? He’s been in a bunch of stuff. We don’t have time for a side by side, but look it up. Just a thought.
20 min – Cannavaro with another nice play to cut off Podolski, who was streaking for a ball.
21 min – Podolski takes a cross from Kehl, but whips it far too high over the goal. But wow, that was some sequence. Announcers seem to love Kehl.
25 min – Free kick from Italy … Pirlo’s bend is perfect, but Materazzi can’t get a head on it.
26 min – This is as good a time as any: If you missed our post last week, we told you that Paris Hilton wants to jump the bones of Mr. Podolski. Just putting it out there.
28 min – Itching for halftime, we are. Sorry to go all Yoda … but we’re famished.
28 min – Lahm nice work dribbling through three defenders, but again, the shot is deflected by an Italian player.
30 min – Camorenisi is taken down after he burns Lahm. Free kick in a dangerous spot. Pirlo stands over it to the side of the box … strange move rolling it short to Totti, but his shot is deflected.
31 min – Toni with a great move and then pass to Totti … his shot is saved. Corner Italy … headed out of danger by Germany.
32 min – Another corner for Italy after Camornesi jukes yet another defender. But the corner is corralled by Lehman. Italy really controlling play now.
33 min – Yet another corner for Italy. Germany can’t clear the ball out of its own end. Totti stands over the ball … nothing. Lehman with the grab.
35 min – Klose nice pass to Schneider, who has a wide open shot from 15, but he fires just a foot or so high. Nice position by Buffon.
37 min – Although there have been no goals, the action is very spirited. Italy about to have another corner, its fifth. Klose had been dormat for 30 minutes … and just created a few opportunities for Germany. Totti’s corner is headed away.
38 min – Wow. Grosso with a brilliant move in the corner, and he’s taken down by Ballack. Talk about an undressing. Virtual corner here for Italy .. Pirlo … nobody can get a foot on it.
39 min – Germany seems to have the more crisp passing, but in the 1 on 1 situations, Italy is abusing Germany. It’s not even close.
40 min – Totti is taken down from behind by Borowski, and we have our first yellow card. Italy has done its fair share of acting in this tournament, but no acting needed there.
42 min – Buffon is a great keeper. Knows when to leave his line, and when to stay on it. He punches away a ball before Klose can get a head on it.
45 min – Wow, Totti called for a dive. He went over Ballack. Like over as in, over his shoulder.
THAT’S IT. End of the half, knotted at 0. A fun, physical, and relatively dive-free and card-free first half. Italy took awhile to wake up, and its defense had far too many holes, but it appeared pretty much even.
47 min – Germany’s passing in the box is incredibly strong. And precise. With so many men back, and just one striker, how is Italy so porous in the back?
50 min – Klose with a brilliant run into the box, but Buffon comes out to kick the attack away.
51 min – Grosso counters right into the box, but is whistled offside. That’s got to be six or seven offside flags on Italy. Nice save by Lehman, either way.
52 min – Grosso is carted off on a stretcher. For what, we do not know.
54 min – Corner, Italy. Totti standing over the ball … Lehman easily snatches it.
55 min – Borowski launches a 30-yard strike high for Germany.
56 min – Think about it: Italy hasn’t been scored up in the World Cup. It did give up an own-goal against the United States, though.
57 min – Metzelder shown a yellow for a tackle on Toni.
60 min – Totti takes an apparent elbow to the face, but doesn’t go down. Shocker. Not the elbow … that he didn’t go down. Italy players have been going down in this tournament faster than a Brazil groupie.
62 min – Podolski makes a run … centers to Ballack, outside to Schneider … pass to Podolski, who spins and fires in the box, but Buffon is right there to make the save. Man, great positioning by Buffon.
BREAKING NEWS Brazil’s Roberto Carlos has just retired from International Soccer. We fully expect the MLS to make a run at him tomorrow, probably to the tune of $5 million or so.
65 min – Grosso takes a knee to the head while he’s on the ground. It was inadvertent … but it looked like it hurt.
67 min – Germany building an attack all half, while Italy cannot mount any offensive. Wait, here comes an Italy counter … but Germany diffuses it. Italy holding possession, which is a first in the half.
68 min – Podolski and Klose have totaled a mere two shots today. But here they come again … Ballack to Podolski, but he’s dispossessed.
69 min – German fans shouldn’t be concerened… Argentina had the lead at this point in the quarters, and Germany knotted the score.
73 min – Germany appears ready to make a sub. Schweinsteiger looks like he’s about ready to enter the match. Balboa was killing him against Argentina. Yup, Schweinsteiger is in for Borowski in the midfield.
75 min – Italy about to sub Gilaldino in for Toni in the midfield. They can’t yank Totti even though he’s tired. He may be needed for PKs.
76 min – Yet another offside by Italy. Geez. That’s 10. Somebody do the tally – who has more offsides in the tournament, France or Italy?
78 min – We’re kind of regretting the Italy pick. This team is showing no offense. Nothing resembling an attack. Sure, it might happen on a corner, but as of now, we’re not confident at all in Italy winning this.
81 min – Darn! We forgot our corn on the cob in the pot on the stove. Had to run and get it. Still looks edible, even though it was boiling for about 35 minutes.
82 min – Free kick Germany. Phantom foul on Italy right at the top of the box … looked like a 50/50 ball to us. Germany with a golden opportunity at the top of the box, right inside that semi-circle …
83 min – Ballack rips it too high over the bar to the right. Looked eerily similar to the way Roberto Baggio missed the the PK in the 1994 World Cup.
85 min – Italy appears completely content to play for OT. But isn’t that how Italy always looks? We cannot recall any sense of urgency on this team at any point in the tournament.
85 min – Massive collision in the box between Lehman and Perrota. Lehman punched the ball to make a save, and his elbow appeared to drive Perrota in the ear. Ouch. He’s off the pitch for now.
88 min – He’s back. You have to wonder if the German forwards are spent at this point … they’ve done far more running than Totti, the lone Italy forward.
90 min – Camoranesi shown a yellow for a rough tackle near midfield.
90+ – Free kick Germany deep in the Italy end. Three minutes of stoppage. Header is flicked off a German head, but it sails to the other end line and out of bounds.
90+ – Germany has the pressure on, but hasn’t been able to get a good shot off.
AND THAT’S IT. We’re headed to overtime, knotted at 0. Buckle up.
OVERTIME
1 min – Wow, that corn was good. Even had time to floss. Because you must floss after corn. Camoranesi is being subbed out for Iaquinta. Not sure if that’s a defensive move or what.
1 min – Italy hits the post! What an individual effort by Gilardino to get down the field, dance on the baseline, and then fire a shot off the right post. That would have silenced the stadium.
2 min – Wow! Italy’s Zambrotta takes a loose ball from a corner kick and drills a 25-yard blast off the crossbar. Who said Italy wants to play for PKs?
4 min – Corner for Italy. Germany suddenly looks like a boxer on the ropes, barely hanging on. Pirolo takes it … header by Cannavaro is about 10-feet wide.
5 min – Foul on Italy’s Zambrotta deep in the Italian end. Free kick for Germany.
6 min – Free kick goes off the back of Pirlo and out of bounds. Corner Germany … sails all the way through, untouched.
9 min – Cannavaro fouls Podolski deep in the Italy end. Free kick to the left of the box. Kick is headed away by a defender.
11 min – The Italy defense has an uncanny way of getting in front of seemingly every German shot to deflect it or redirect it so the shot never reaches Buffon. And it can’t just be tired Germany legs creating weaker shots … it’s been going on all game long.
12 min – Del Piero coming on for Italy. He’s automatic on free kicks.
15+ – Podolski header goes just wide near post. He was, for the first time, unmarked. His header was about 5 feet wide.
END OF THE FIRST OT. Still no score. We’re close to PK, and off-air, Marcelo Balboa is cursing under his breath. He hates PKs.
17 min – Just phoned pops. He mentioned there’s a fella with red boots named Odonkor from Germany who is tearing it up. Huh? Oh, it’s that substitute for Germany. He has brought much energy to the Germany side. Klose has been invisible in OT.
18 min – Not to jinx Italy, but this defense is extremely formidable. Germany is having trouble simply getting shots on goal. We’re going to break down the defense if Italy advances.
18 min – Lehman snares yet another Italy corner.
21 min – Neuville about to come on for Germany. He’s a clutch goal-scorer, and another lock when it comes to PK. The surprise is that Klose is out.
22 min – Del Piero had a great opportunity in the box, but was nullified.
22 min – Podolski’s rip is saved by Buffon. One-handed deflection over the goal from point-blank range. Great save. Amazing save.
23 min – Italy counter, led by Del Piero, leads to yet another corner. This is Italy’s 11th, and yet again, it produces zip.
26 min – Dive by Schweinsteiger just outside the box, but the ref doesn’t fall for it. Good job, ref.
28 min – Wow, rip by Pirlo, but Lehman blocked it out of bounds. Nice left-footed blast. Will the 12th corner be the lucky one for Italy?
29 min – GOALLLLLLLL! Grosso with a beautiful shot into the goal on a brilliant pass from Pirlo. How the Germany defense could leave Grosso unmarked is unreal. Unreal placement, Lehman had no chance.
29 min – Replays show Germany just got caught napping on defense. Grosso was open in the box from about 12 yards out, and fired a brilliant shot that Lehman couldn’t have had.
30 min – Del Piero GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2-0!!!!!!!!!!! It’s over!!!!!!
30 min – What a move by Giraldno, who held the ball until Del Piero ran behind him, and Del Piero was clinical with his finish, going upper 90 past a sliding Lehman.
FINAL: Italy 2, Germany 0.