The Italy world champion was too bad to be real.

On the other hand Holland played very close to the Italian style.

The key of the match was the big team compactness of Holland under all aspects: it was always short in the non-possession phase to kick back with powerful starts.

Instead Italy was too long to face the Dutch counterattacks in the non-possession phase and too predictable and slow in the possession phase.

In the second half thanks to the entry of Grosso, Del Piero and Cassano we created a numerical predominance with duels and insertions, but it was not enough…

IN THE POSSESSION PHASE: ITALY COULDN’T FIND SPACES TO ATTACK BOTH WITH HIGH GAME AND STUDIED GAME, SINCE HOLLAND ALWAYS TIGHTENED THE SECOND AND THE THIRD LINE. IN THE SECOND HALF IN DEL PIERO AND CASSANO FIELD ITALY WAS MORE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT WAS MORE PRACTISED IN 1>1. IN ADDITION ITALY FOUND DIFFICULTY BECAUSE PIRLO WAS MARKED CLOSELY BY VAN DER VAART.

IN THE NON-POSSESSION PHASE: INSTEAD, ITALY SUFFERED THE INTERNAL CONVERSIONS OF THE ATTACKING THIRD (KUYT E SNEIJDER) ON THE SIDE LANES.

IN THE POSSESSION-PHASE: HOLLAND DEVELOPS STARTS FILLING AND ATTACKING THE SPACES ON THE SIDE LANES PREDOMINANTLY ON THE LEFT SIDE (RED CROSS-HATCHING).

IN THE NON-POSSESSION PHASE: DUTCH SUFFERED ONLY IN THE SECOND HALF IN SET PLAYS AND IN 1>1 ON THE SIDE LANES, ESPECIALLY ON THE LEFT LANE WITH GROSSO INROADS.