Soccer: Stunned Italians say 'death to the referee'

ROME - Dismay, disbelief, anger and tears -- Italy took their World Cup defeat against South Korea last night (NZT) like a slap around the face and blamed the Ecuadorian referee for their shock exit.

"Death to the referee," chanted hundreds of Italian supporters gathered in the heart of Rome to watch the game on a giant television screen.

Scuffles broke out in front of the capital's central train station as Italians hurled water bottles and insults at a small group of South Korean supporters who had gathered to celebrate their team's historic victory.

"Thieves, thieves, you stole the game," the Italians yelled before police moved in to restore order.

After trailing for much of the game, South Korea drew level just two minutes before the end of normal time in Taejon, Korea.

In extra time Italy had a man sent off and a goal disallowed for offside -- both decisions denounced by Italian television commentators -- before South Korea scored the winning golden goal, cheered on by a stadium of ecstatic local fans.

"Frankly, that was complete robbery," said Bruno Pizzul, Italy's most famous commentator who was following the game for state broadcaster RAI in South Korea.

His anger was shared at the highest level back home.

"The referee was a disgrace, absolutely scandalous. I've never seen a game like it. It seemed as if they just sat around a table and decided to throw us out," Franco Frattini, Italy's minister for public offices, said.

Even respected Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi weighed in declaring that Italy had "deserved to win".

"On the pitch today I saw team spirit, guts, organisation and fair play," he said. "At any rate, they've honoured Italian soccer and its traditions."

Soccer-mad Italy ground to a halt for the game. Streets emptied and crowds gathered around huge screens set up in city squares or around televisions in bars and offices.

Ancient fountains and water trucks helped cool tempers and temperatures during the prolonged match, but Italians' anger boiled over in the final minutes with fans shaking their fists and yelling expletives at the TV screens.

"It's a game between Italy and the referees. Italy can't win against the referee, the linesmen and the Koreans," said one die-hard fan who had painted his bicycle green, white and red -- the colours of the Italian flag.

When the decisive Korean goal hit the back of the net, silence descended. People hugged each other, many cried openly, tears streaming down their cheeks in the boiling summer sun.

"I expected a victory, the pain is enormous. There is no justice in this world, especially with these referees," said 26-year old Rosalba Petrone, sitting with friends in Rome's gigantic Piazza del Popolo.

Italy, which has won three World Cups, suffered a number of hotly-contested refereeing decisions in their three first-round games earlier this month, with four goals disallowed -- three of them unfairly, according to the local press.

According to a poll by La Republica website, 45 per cent of fans blamed the referees for the score and 25 per cent pointed the finger at coach Giovanni Trapattoni who some say should have brought in a fresh striker. Only 14 per cent blamed the players.

In Milan, some 5000 people defied temperatures close to 40degC to watch the match on a huge screen set up in front of the city's imposing Gothic cathedral. When the final whistle went the mood was funereal.

"It's too awful," said 68-year-old Nicoletta Carluccio, shaking her head in shock. "But Italy is a strong nation so we will survive and come back."

- REUTERS

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