ITALY TOO HOT

It was the Italians, not quite as hot as their capital weather, who once again strolled off with the LogicaCMG World Cup trophy, as a convincing 3-1 victory over Manchester made them World Champions for the fourth time in five years. In temperatures which approached 40°C at high noon, the hosts overcame occasional and previously unseen signs of vincibility, to produce a controlled and ruthless display when it mattered most, and avoid the need for any shoot-outs. Two well-worked first half goals effectively ended the contest, and even a late Mancunian goal that might have offered an unlikely twist in the tale, only stung the Italian side into responding with a conclusive third.

Despite this ultimate defeat, Bill Ramsey's Manchester side could take immense satisfaction from their performances over the two days. The unseeded Northerners had brushed aside more fancied opponents in the England Pups and Lags as they produced a succession of exciting displays that took them surging into the Final. A solid defensive base was augmented with some pace and trickery up front that caused problems for every team they faced, and a never-say-die attitude saw them notch vital goals at the death - no mean feat in such searing heat. There much be something about the Latin climate that suits their style, for they also reached the final in Milan in 1999 on their World Cup debut. No prizes for guessing who they lost to on that occasion.

TEAMS GO MISSING

The reduced attendance at this, the ninth, LogicaCMG World Cup did not dilute either the quality or the excitement of the tournament. It was, of course, sad that old friends from Scotland, Ireland, France, and Germany were unable to attend, and doubly disappointing that the reigning Champions from the Czech Republic were not able to defend their title in Rome. The realities of the company merger and resulting reorganisation meant that previous sporting subsidies were no longer available, and the number of teams entering was reduced from the perfect sixteen of the previous year to just ten this time out. It also meant just two teams from outside the UK were present, the hosts and the much fancied Dutch. Still it was not all bad news, with Wales, Reading and an England New Boys team all making their debuts at the highest level of LogicaCMG international footballing competition.

The reduced entry meant two groups with five teams in each. Round-robin qualifying games were played after which the top two teams in each group won through to play in the semi-finals, whilst a rash of play-off games would decide the final position of all teams.

WIZARDS POSE PROBLEMS

Old foes England Pups and Holland were the form teams in Group A, and they were joined by last year's quarter-finalists, the Nippers and the two debutantes: Wales and Reading. The two seeded teams had an apparently straight-forward qualification, drawing against each other 1-1 and winning their other three games without conceding a goal. The statistics do not tell the full story however, since the Welsh newcomers produced a combination of attacking, competitive football that posed problems for both sides. The Wizards only lost 1-0 to each of the semi-finalists, and defeated the two other teams in the group to claim a respectable third spot.

ITALIANS SPOT ON

Group B looked the slightly tougher of the two groups on paper. The seeded Italians and England Lags were joined by fancied outsiders Manchester and Leatherhead, as well as the unknown quantity that was Southern FC. The initial games immediately justified the group de riguer labelling as the 'Group of Death'. Whilst the Lags and Leatherhead battled out a tough goalless draw, Manchester felt themselves hard-done by in going down 2-0 to Italy. As well as hitting the bar a couple of times, the Mancunians were less than happy with a penalty awarded to the hosts. The Lags were equally non-plussed with a similar award in the next game. They seemed to be holding their own at 1-1, but then a silly defensive error and a hotly disputed spot-kick allowed the Italians to run out 3-1 winners.

Somewhat surprisingly this left the seeded old men of England needing to beat Manchester in their third game if they were to have a realistic chance of making the semi-finals. A great game of football in the blistering early afternoon heat saw the best of both sides. Manchester dominated the first half and were unlucky to only be one up, but the Lags responded after the interval and a superb Sidaway goal gave them a 2-1 lead. But Manchester showed their mettle, and a late equaliser effectively eliminated the Lags and gave themselves a great chance of progress.

Mancunian prospects seemed even better when they beat the equally ambitious Leatherhead 2-0 straight afterwards, in another crunch game. But Leatherhead showed why many had fancied them as a dark horse by bouncing back and beating Italy with a solitary goal in the last game on Saturday - an excellent performance. Manchester were thus left to sweat overnight, but at least knew what they had to do in the last qualifying game on Sunday morning. They needed a two-goal victory against Southern, but in the end strolled to a 3-0 victory with few scares or signs of nerves.

B-TEAMS TRIUMPH

This left us with two mouth-watering semi-finals, and despite the lung-scorching heat, we were not to be disappointed. In a rerun of the 2000 Final, Holland and Italy pulled out all the stops in an entertaining match that regularly had a vociferous crowd on its feet. In the end however, despite a goal from the Dutch, the Italians proved too strong in front of their own supporters, and scored three of their own to qualify for their sixth consecutive Final.

The other semi-final proved equally entertaining. Manchester again looked strong in the first half, and took the lead after some pin-ball in the England Pup penalty area. The Mancunian keeper then made a superb block to retain that lead when Loriot was clean through, but could do nothing after the interval when the same Pup midfielder powered home a bullet header from a corner. The Pups looked by far the stronger side now, and although they managed to hang on until the full-time whistle, Manchester looked drained and did not appear to relish the prospect of 'Silver Goal' extra time. But as they had proved the previous day, you write them off at your peril, and after defending stoutly for 5 minutes they broke incisively to take a well-worked lead. The Pups now had to quickly pull an equaliser out of the hat, but as they pressed desperately forward it was Manchester who counter-attacked once more, and a superbly volleyed third goal clinched their place in an all-Group B Final.

REFEREE OFF IN REPEAT OF ITALIAN JOB

The challenge of beating Italy in their own sun-baked back yard was tough enough, but Manchester had now played two tough games that morning, including extra time. But they gave as good as they got in the opening fifteen minutes of a Final played before a packed grandstand. However, when an Italian midfielder pounced on a loose ball to rifle home an opportunistic strike, the balance seemed to tip. And when an Italian striker headed home a remarkable goal at the back stick just before the interval (not dissimilar to Henrik Larsson's first in the UEFA Cup Final), the writing seemed to be on the wall.

The home side could, and perhaps should, have added further goals in the second half as the Mancunians began to wilt in the heat. Perhaps it was the brief respite afforded by a mystery injury to the referee, but soon after the substitute referee took the field, Manchester pulled a goal back courtesy of an excellent finish. Suddenly, at 2-1, those on the away terraces thought the improbable might just come to pass. But as Manchester threw players forward, the Italians calmly exploited the gaps at the back and ruthlessly carved out a clinching third goal, converted at the far post by their number ten.

So another Italian job was completed, although this had not quite been as tense a cliff-hanger as the Michael Caine version. Once the golden trophy had been joyously reclaimed in front of an appreciative audience, all and sundry retired to the cool shaded lawns between bar and swimming pool to enjoy a well-earned and ice-cold Nastro Azzurro amidst the quite beautiful tree-lined avenues of the fantastic La Borghesiana complex. And what more fitting way to symbolise the precious sporting bond established between many nations in this most historic and cultural of cities, than a rousing rendition of "We're All Going Up the Sunshine Mountain" , a heart-swelling anthem that had the players of all teams stood on their chairs and singing with gusto. Stirring stuff indeed, and uncannily appropriate for all those limb-weary athletes who'd regularly had a sun-drenched mountain or two to climb in the second half heat over the previous two days. There will undoubtedly be some not too disappointed to see a drop of rain in the Utrecht air come next May.