Alessandro Diamanti scores the decisive penalty as Italy edged past England 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw in 90 minutes & 30 minutes of extra time to set up a UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final encounter with Germany in Warsaw on 28th midnight. Neither side could secure a margin in the schedule 90 minutes, push the match towards extra-time, match remain goalless after 120 minutes leads towards the penalty shoot-out. Mario Balloteli, Andre Pirlo, Antonio Nocerino & Allexandro Diamanati scored for Italy in the shoot-out while Steven Gerrard & Wayene Rooney only managed to score for the British side. Andre Pirlo taken an awesome spot-kick which might have mentally dislodged the British side.
Regarding
the past records both the sides have nightmare penalty shoot-out record in previous
major tournaments. England lost to Germany in the semis stage of Euro 1996,
lost to Portugal in the quarter stage of Euro 2004, in 1992 England lost to West Germany in the
semifinal of World Cup 1990, they lost to Argentina in the second round of
World Cup 1998, lost to Portugal in the quarter final of the World Cup 2006.
While in the other hand the Azzuri side lost the third place match of Euro 1980
against Czechoslovakia in penalty shoot-out, they lost to Spain in the quarter
final of Euro 2008, in 1990 World Cup semifinal they lost against Argentina in
penalty shoot-out, they lost in the final of World Cup 1994 against Brazil,
lost against France in the quarter final of World Cup 1998.
Italy
is the much superior side throughout the night, they had majority of ball possession,
they overwhelmed the British side everywhere, only few marginal offside decisions
& denial of barposts saves the
British side throughout the entire 120 minutes.
That has to be told that had a jaw dropping battle between both the
sides, either side could have been ahead within the 5 minutes of the game, First
Daniele De Rossi rattled the upright from all of 30 metres with a smashing half-volley that was always arcing beyond the
scrambling Joe Hart's hopeful hands. In case of England, Glen Johnson almost have broken the deadlock when James Milner's
deflected cross perfectly intersected his run. Fortunately the ball rattled under
his feet, though, and his weak shot was comfortably clawed away by Buffon.
Andre
Pirlo was awesome throughout the night, it has be told he is the right descendant
of Paulo Maldini in this Italian side, wherever the ball goes we found Pirlo in
there, he shows some excellent exhibition of ball controlling & sending
through passes towards goal, Mario Balloteli misses few golden opportunities
from those through balls. Mario Balloteli does everything apart from scoring,
somewhere it looks like he might have lost his deadly touch of Man City in this
Azzuri side.
In
the absence of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrad was leading the midfield of the Lions,
all the counter attacks were dominated form his legs. Sent few great passes but
the other player like Roonery failed to convert those chances, Rooney looked a
bit of off colour lastnight, in first half it was very hard to found him inside
the pitch, in second we merely got him but he was completely inactive, Rooney also had a chance to make it in
stoppage time, firing over with an acrobatic effort after Carroll headed back
across goal in a positive passage of play, but the game moved inevitably into
extra time.
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