Tuesday 4 July
Final heartbreak for hosts
With a minute of extra time left Italy scored twice to end Germany's hope of lifting the cup. Totti tested Lehmann with a fiercely struck distant free-kick in first minutes of the match, but the German keeper dealt with it with relative ease. Lehmann got in the way of Perrotta in the 16th minute. A shot from Schneider inside the box in the 34th minute flashed over the bar. In the 62nd minute Buffon blocked a firm shot from Podolski and with extra time 5 minutes away Lehmann got to the ball ahead of Perrotta to punch it away. A minute into extra time and Gilardino weaved his way towards the German goal-line and squeezed the ball past Lehmann, but off the near post. Italy responded immediately and Zombrotta saw his effort from outside the area come off the crossbar. The first half of extra time ended with Podolski spurning his chance with a free header which he put wide of the post. Del Piero couldn't get past Lehmann in the 111th minute and at the other end Podolski forced Buffon into a magnificent save just seconds later. With penalty kicks looming Pirlo forced Lehmann into another save and from the resulting corner in the 119 minute Pirlo gathered the ball and rolled it into the box for Grosso to curl past Lehmann into the corner of the net. As Germany desperately pushed forward in search of a lifeline, Italy broke through and Gilardino passed the ball to Del Piero who picked his spot and side-footed the ball into top far corner of the German goal with the last kick of the match. (Germany 0 Italy 0. Italy win 2-0 in extra time)

Wednesday 5 July

Zidane earns final chance
A penalty converted by Zidane gave France a place in the final of the World Cup, a fitting occasion for the French captain to retire. Barthez got a hand to a low shot from Deco in the 4th minute, but Pauletta failed to make the most of the rebound. Maniche saw his shot whistle just over the bar 4 minutes later. In the 16th minute Barthez got down to save a shot from Figo, but in the 32nd minute it was France who got their chance when Henry was brought down in the box. Zidane stepped up and smashed the ball low into the corner of the net. Ronaldo ran into the box in the 39th minute, but his shot was deflected for a corner. Two minutes into the second half and Henry had his shot deflected by the underside of Ricardo's body, and a minute later the Portuguese keeper punched up a shot from Ribery and caught it on its return. Pauletta's shot hit the side netting in the 53rd minute, but Portugal came the closest in the 77th minute when a free-kick from Ronaldo was scooped up by Barthez onto the head of Figo who headed the ball over the bar. (France 1 Portugal 0)