CIAO, BABY! ITALY STUNS GERMANY WITH TWO LATE SCORES IN EXTRA SESSION WORLD CUP SEMI FINALS: ITALY 2, GERMANY 0, EXTRA TIME.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH Staff Writer

DORTMUND, Germany -- The end was abrupt, to the dream, to the party. The past month really has been about modern Germany finding itself, celebrating itself, learning that it's OK to be patriotic, no matter what the Nazis did 60, 70 years ago.

Germans saw themselves, or the image they covet for themselves, in the Nationalmann- schaft: Honest and dynamic, brave and strong, clever and talented -- capable of great things. This German team, unfancied when the festivities began, demolished all expectations, playing the World Cup's most explosive, attacking, entertaining soccer and mesmerizing a nation.

It all ended Tuesday, and just like that. One moment, the seconds were ticking down to penalty kicks -- the Germans always win when penalty kicks decide -- and the next Italy was heading to its sixth World Cup final, a 2-0 victor in a breakneck overtime period that capped a tense, ofttimes terrific affair in front of 65,000 at muggy Westfalenstadion.

Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero scored the goals, both exemplary finishes, both in the closing minutes -- Del Piero's with the game's final touch.

``This is hugely disappointing,'' German coach Juergen Klinsmann said. ``We all had a big dream, we all had a big goal, and that was reaching Sunday's final in Berlin. And the dream didn't come true.''

Instead, it is the Italians who will seek their fourth World Cup championship, taking on the winner of today's France- Portugal semifinal in Munich. The Germans head to Stuttgart, where they will face today's loser in Saturday's third-place game.

The Azzurri, who will look to add to titles won in 1934, 1938 and, with a victory over Germany in the final, in 1982, gave their best performance of the tournament, especially on defense, alternately suffocating the German attack and making big plays as their last line was about to be broached.

``It would have been a great shame if Italy had not won on the field,'' Azzurri coach Marcello Lippi said. ``Even if it had gone to penalties, we would have deserved to go through. We played better than the Germans in front of 50,000 of their fans in their own backyard. We never gave up, kept attacking right to the end ...''

Italy possessed sizable advantages in possession, shots on goal, corner kicks, offside calls, but the Germans created better, if fewer, chances in 90 minutes of regulation.

Andrea Pirlo gave German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann his biggest test in the 118th minute, a 25-yard shot the keeper poked around the post. The ensuing corner kick led to the first goal.

Arne Friedrich headed away Del Piero's cross, and Pirlo picked it up just outside the box, carrying to his right as he looked for space past Friedrich and then Christoph Metzelder. He slipped the ball forward, and Grosso's first-time blast bent past Michael Ballack and Philipp Lahm, just beyond leaping Lehmann's fingertips and just inside the far post and into the side-netting.

With perhaps 90 seconds to go, the Germans surged forward, leaving a canyon of space behind. A turnover, a quick pass, and Alberto Gilardino was nearing Germany's box, only Metzelder and Lehmann to beat.

Del Piero, yelling for the ball, raced in on the left, and Gilardino turned right across the top of the box, pulling Metzelder with him. A quick touch dropped the ball onto Del Piero's path, and the veteran forward ably chipped it past Lehmann, finding the upper-right corner.

``This is my best experience with the Azzurri ...'' Del Piero said. ``There aren't any words that describe what I'm feeling right now.''

The Germans, Klinsmann aside, struggled to describe their emotions. They've never beaten Italy in five World Cup meetings, with three final-four losses.

``It's not that Italy didn't deserve to win,'' Ballack said. ``But it is very bitter.''

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4 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon celebrates after the Azzurri knock host Germany out of the World Cup with two late goals. Italy goes on to play the winner of today's France-Portugal match on Sunday for the championship.

Jochen Luebke/Getty Images

(2 -- color) German forward Miroslav Klose reacts after missing a chance to score Tuesday.

Patrick Hertzog/Getty Images

(3 -- color) Germany's David Odonkor shows his emotions after his team lost the semifinal game.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

(4) Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann can't stop a shot by Italy's Fabio Grosso in overtime that snapped a scoreless tie.

Marcus Brandt/Getty Images

Box:

PORTUGAL vs. FRANCE 

- Scott French