They needed 2-2 to go through.
It ended 2-2.
Italy out.

Was it arranged beforehand? :confused:

of course!!....the bookies new all about it ....the price for a 2-2 draw dropped dramatically.

It was funny to see the myriad of emotions of the italian striker after he put them 2-1 up!!

I'm more convinced there's a conspiracy by UEFA to put Italy in the weakest of all Euro football groups.

And even then, they still fail to qualify!

Seriously though, the Italians can blame no-one but themselves. They had three games, like everyone else in the tournament, and if they couldn't qualify, they don't deserve to progress any further.

:nono:

italy were so poor that they didn't deserve to go through. but that second swedish goal looked dodgy as hell!

Keeper: "what's this round thing? whoops! I've dropped it!"

hmm - smells a little fishy to me! Didn't see the game so couldn't comment, but you have to say it's a bit of a coincidence!

Well its just the way it goes in group football sometimes. Italy went out essentially for the same reason them and Spain always do - they are not adventurous enough. When they really attacked Bulgaria in the second half they looked a really good team and exciting team to watch and they have so many great players I can't understand why they don't play to those strengths, they just seem to stick to their "traditional" way of playing even though it is no longer successful.

I don't think many people will have any sympathy for Italy, especially after the way they reacted to going out in World Cup 2002 - yet again, it was another conspiracy.

People who spit don't earn sympathy. Anyone who watched Italian teams (national or club) throughout the late 60's 70s and 80's would feel no sympathy at all.

I fail to comprehend how a 2-2 draw can possibly be fixed.

What I don't understand is how people can say that a 2-2 draw GUARANTEED Italy went out. If Italy had won 4-1 they would have bettered Denmarks goal difference, and I thought that after points, goal difference decided it. They'd also have had more goals for. Am I missing something? Why would Denmark play for a draw that could still put them out?

Exactly, they didn't. It was just the outcome of the game.

Originally posted by t020
What I don't understand is how people can say that a 2-2 draw GUARANTEED Italy went out. If Italy had won 4-1 they would have bettered Denmarks goal difference, and I thought that after points, goal difference decided it. They'd also have had more goals for. Am I missing something? Why would Denmark play for a draw that could still put them out?
in this tournament, for the first time, if three teams had equal points it was only the goal difference & goals scored of those three teams that counted.

stupid, i know, and i'd be rather peeved if i were bulgarian - it's like there being there didnt even count

Yes but the point is Denmark have a GD of + 2, Sweden + 5, and Italy + 1. All were top 3 and had 5 points. This is AFTER the so called 2-2 GUARANTEED Italy exit, but surely a win by 2 more goals would've put Italy through on GD ahead of Denmark, despite the 2-2.

no, because the result would have been against bulgaria and the rules state that its only the goals in the matches concerning the drawing teams that count, they cocked it up against sweden and denmark so they stood no chance

dave

Ah I see - that's a STUPID rule! Why do they have to over complicate matters and introduce a silly rule like that?