CERRITOS, CA (smt) -- 1E-Italy (5-0-1) had never lost to 1A-Germany (4-1-1) in a WC match and didn't plan to start now. Fabio GROSSO scored in the 119th minute and Alessandro DEL PIERO added the final nail in the coffin in the 121st+ minute to send scandal-plagued ITA into the WC finals for the 6th time. Host GER, who was playing without Torsten FRINGS (suspended) due to the after the match altercation v ARG, seemed to play for the PK shootout in overtime. ITA, which has had heartbreaking losses in PKs in the past, kept the pressure on hitting the right post and crossbar early in the OT session and had 10 shots on goal to GER's two.

STREAKS CONTINUE: ITA is 15-0-9 in their last 24 matches... ITA is now 3-0-2 v GER in WC play... ITA has not given up a goal by an opponent shot (only goal allowed is an own goal)...

STREAKS END: GER was undefeated when playing in Dortmund (13-1-1)...

ITALIAN CONSPIRACY?: ITA, mired in its own match-fixing scandal at home, has gotten questionable red cards against the USA, a questionable PK opportunity v AUS, and benefited from FRINGS' questionable suspension (considering amidst all the pushing and shoving, FRINGS is the only player reprimanded by FIFA)...

ELASTIGIRL (126 pts) wins the 3rd Quadrennial HWCI World Cup Pool as she was one of just six to pick ITA. With GER & BRA out, that means that THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA (2nd, 118) and FUTBAL FABONE (3rd, 117) are in the money, but they won't know which position til after the final. HOFBRAU FUTBAL (116) sits in 4th place but could be overtaken by NICO (11th-Tied, 106) if ITA wins the WC.

If ITA wins the WC, AS VAFFANCULA (19th-T, 99) will become the first person to pick the champ and not win any money (will fall just four points short.... hmm, that SUI or SWE quarterfinal pick would've been the five pts he needed) to someone who didn't pick the champ. Same if FRA wins it all... ESTEBAN Y ALEXI (34th, 84) will fall 10 pts short.

WC STATS: 61 matches (14 ties)... 140 goals (2.30 per game)... 27 Red Cards (4-TRI, 14-TOG, 15-UKR, 17-POL, 21-SCG, 22-ANG, 25-ITA, 25-USA(2), 26-CZE, 39-MEX, 38-SCG, 38-CIV, 41-CZE, 44-CRO(2), 44-AUS, 48-TUN, 49-SWE, 52-POR(2), 52-NED(2), 53-ITA, 55-GHA, 58-ARG, 59-ENG); team with advantage (14 goals for, 1 against (53-ITA))... 15 PKs (11/15) (15-ESP (G), 24-POR (G), 26-GHA (LP), 28-CRO (S), 31-ESP (G), 39-POR (G), 39-MEX(H), 38-CIV(G), 38-CIV(G), 42-GHA(G), 44-AUS(G), 48-UKR(G), 49-SWE(H), 53-ITA(G), 56-ESP(G))... Scoring first: 39-8-7 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 34-CRC, 38-SCG, 43-JPN, 50-MEX, 56-ESP)... Shutouts: 44 (6 0:0 ties)... Leading at the half: 27-4-3 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 38-SCG)... Both teams scoring in the first half: 12 (1-GER-CRC 2:1, 7-MEX-IRN 1:1, 25-ITA-USA 1:1, 22-NED-CIV 2:1, 34-CRC-POL 1:1, 39-POR-MEX 2:1, 38-CIV-SCG 1:2, 42-GHA-USA 2:1, 43-JPN-BRA 1:1, 44-CRO-AUS 1:1, 50-ARG-MEX 1:1, 56-ESP-FRA 1:1)... Own goals: 3 (3-PAR, 25-ITA, 36-TRI)... ET/OT: 5 (50-ARG-MEX 1:0, 54-SUI-UKR 0:0, 59-GER-ARG 0:0, 60-ENG-POR 0:0, 61-GER-ITA 0:2)... PSO: 3 (54-SUI-UKR 0:3 [3+], 57-GER-ARG 4:2 [4], 59-ENG-POR 1:3 [4+])