Budweiser Man of the Match: Andrea PIRLO (ITA)

12 June 2006

Italy’s midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo was the TSG’s choice for the Budweiser Man of the Match Award due to his energetic display in the Azzurri’s 2-0 victory over Ghana.

Goals win games and when the AC Milan man struck after 40 minutes, it broke the deadlock in an enthralling contest, which had football fans all over the world on the edge of their seats.

A corner from Francesco Totti found the 27-year-old on the edge of the area. He rifled a powerful shot into the box, the ball taking a slight deflection on its way past Richard Kingston and into the net.

However, his performance was about more than just a goal. For 90 minutes, the UEFA Champions League winner worked tirelessly in midfield to help guide Marcello Lippi’s side to the three points on offer.

"He scored the opening goal which was very important in such a game,” said TSG member Ka-Ming Kwok.

“It wasn’t just the goal; he did a lot of good defensive work as well. He did so much work for the team. He was a very important part of this victory."