Toni - has found his scoring boots at last

By Derek Bilton

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Betting Box Tipping Guide

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts win Italy to beat Germany in 90 minutes at 11/4 (Sporting Odds).	The Azzurri are well drilled and simply too big to do another number on the host nation.
	2pts win Italy to keep a Clean Sheet at 9/4 (Betfred).	Have kept it clean in four of five games to date and have the skills to keep Germany at bay.

And then there were four.

We've reached the business end of the 2006 World Cup with England predictably on their way home after more penalty heart-break and Brazil also eliminated after a 'too many chiefs, not enough Indians' display against France.

The first semi-final throws together hosts Germany and the still seemingly under-appreciated Italians.

Germany of course saw off Argentina on spot kicks after a controversial encounter last Friday night while Italy breezed past Ukraine.

Marcello Lippi's men were being written off by most pundits ahead of the tournament as domestic unrest and claims of match-fixing skullduggery threatened to overshadow their campaign.

However the Italians have gone about their business in a ruthlessly professional manner, winning four and drawing one of their five games to date.

They have conceded just one goal in the entire tournament, and that was a Cristian Zaccardo own goal against the USA.

The Azzurri look to have got the balance right, especially at the back where at times they have looked nigh on impregnable.

The fact remains that if you don't concede goals you don't lose football matches (unless you're England of course), and with Luca Toni at last finding his shooting boots (he bagged two in the quarter-finals) they are worth a bet to see off Germany in Dortmund.

You can't help but be impressed by the Germans, who were a shambles coming into the event but have been superb since their opening day win over Costa Rica.

Jurgen Klinsmann has got them playing a very untypical brand of attacking football, and their shoot on sight policy is reaping plenty of rewards.

They are clearly thriving on being World Cup hosts, and in Miroslav Klose have a striker who has scored more goals in the tournament than anyone else.

They did superbly to knock Argentina out on penalties, but may just buckle under the pressure of being favourites against Italy.

Italy won't be short of confidence having whacked Germany 4-1 in a friendly back in March, and at 11/4 they are clearly the value call.

Gennaro Gattuso and Mauro Camoranesi get through plenty of work in midfield, while up front Toni and Roma star Francesco Totti are a match for anyone.

With the world's most expensive 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon between the sticks and a defensive unit that is the envy of any side in the tournament, it's little wonder that the Italians are just two games away from their first World Cup triumph since Spain 1982.

Germany didn't create that much in the final third against Argentina, and given that this last four clash is likely to be a nervy, tense affair, Betfred's 9/4 about a fifth Italian clean sheet in six games is another bet worth considering.