'Courageous' Italy

The Italian press lavished praise on its world champion football team on Sunday after their last-gasp victory in Glasgow over Scotland ensured their passage to Euro 2008.
Christian Panucci headed home an injury-time Andrea Pirlo free-kick to ensure last year's World Cup winners will take their place in Austria and Switzerland, at the expense of a brave and battling Scotland, who put in a typically British and ultimately fruitless performance.
Italy were off to a dream start with a second minute goal from Bayern Munich forward Luca Toni before they wrongly had a goal disallowed for offside.
The luck seemed to be on Scotland's side as their captain Barry Ferguson equalised in the second half, from an offside position, but still Italy were not to be denied.
"Europe, we're there," trumpeted the Gazzetta Sportiva, which also heaped praise on coach Roberto Donadoni, a much maligned figure in the press since taking over from World Cup-winning coach Marcelo Lippi in July 2006.
"Italy played their best match under Donadoni, with a first half that bordered on perfection and team that proved it was real, united, which knew how to battle and suffer," added Gazzetta's reporter on the scene in Glasgow.
"The lads never lost the desire to win and above all they created a unique feeling, a special cohesion with their coach.
"I'm sure they can also win the European Championships because they are capable of that."
La Stampa praised the Italians' mentality while also hailing the Scottish fairplay, contrasting it sharply with the rough treatment meted out in Italy following sporting failure.
"Glasgow reminded us of the World Cup spirit. Character, personality, a conscious sufferance, while never becoming hysterical," said the Turin-based newspaper.
"The lap of honour by the Scots, exhausted, eliminated and applauded like heroes, showed us once again what separates us from the British culture."
La Repubblica was initially succinct in its assessment: "Great Italy, deserved victory, Europe assured."
But then it went on to elaborate, while paying tribute to a nation's football team that always seems to emerge from its deepest crises - such as the recent fatal shooting of a football fan by a policeman - with success on the field.
"Great after a 2-1 victory because they played how we always want to see them: united, courageous, humble too ... Great because they didn't settle for the draw, the minimum target.
"Great because every time we ask them to rise from the fire and emerge from a dark cloud: in Germany (last year) after the 'calciopoli' (the match-fixing scandal), yesterday in Scotland after a week of death, devastation and repercussions."
The Corriere dello Sport added: "Italy, that's it!"