Euro 2016 | Germany trump Italy in dramatic shootout to enter semis

07/03/2016

Germany prevailed over Italy in a nail-biting finish winning 6-5 on penalties after both the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes of regular play in the quarterfinal here at Paris. With the win, the World champions have ended their ignominious losing streak to Italy in major tournaments.

Germany (3-4-2-1): Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Howedes; Kimmich, Khedira, Kroos, Hector; Muller, Ozil; Gomez.

Italy (3-1-4-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Parolo; Florenzi, Sturaro, Giaccherini, De Sciglio; Pelle, Eder.

Germany had come in on the back of a 3-0 trouncing of Slovakia, while Italy had won a tactical masterclass against holders Spain with a 2-0 win. Both the teams had come into the quarterfinal after highly physical encounters in their respective pre-quarters – Italy had 11 bookings, and 7 of them were in the starting 11 today. Germany had five players who carried cards from the previous game. With 18 players just a card away from missing the semi-final, the game promised to be an open game of football.

A tedious half of football

The match began with Italy bringing up two corners and Germany one by the 10th minute, all with no result. In the 13th minute, an injured Sammy Khedira was replaced by Bastian Schweinsteiger.

After a boring quarter of an hour of ping-pong football, Germany had a whiff at a good chance – but Schweinsteiger's header was disallowed promptly as he had shoved aside De Sciglio in the process.

The only exciting minute of the half came in the 43rd minute. But, Sturaro's shot on target from the edge of the box was deflected by the outstretched foot of Boateng. Three more minutes, and an uneventful and tactical half of football ended at 0-0.

Germany break the deadlock

In the 54th minute, Florenzi lost the ball in Italy's half, and after a series of passes, it found its way to Muller at the edge of the box. The German's powerful shot appeared to be heading for the goal, or marginally not, but Florenzi made amends for the earlier error with an acrobatic flying save deflecting the ball with his feet after the rest of his body had sailed past it!

It was in the 65th minute that Mesut Ozil, who was absent so far, gave Germany the lead. Gomez passed the ball on to Hector, whose cut back into the box found a deflection, and the ball fell kindly to an advancing Ozil, who calmly slotted it past Buffon. 1-0.

Two minutes later, Ozil, who had suddenly found his mojo, chipped a pass over the wall to Gomez. Despite finding himself within five yards of the goal. Gomez fumbled the ball, and Chiellini, who was running in, tipped it towards the goal. But a diving Buffon miraculously managed to get his right glove on the ball and tipped it over.

Boateng blows it

Italy, recovering from the goal, suddenly found themselves with quite a bit of possession between the 70th to 76th minute. De Sciglio managed to get a low cross in towards Pelle in the 74th, but the forward could not quite manage the final touch.

In the 76th minute, Florenzi curled the ball into the box and found Boateng, who managed to handball with a bizarre leap that resembled an absurd flightless-bird-flap! Bonucci stepped up to take the penalty. Stopping midway in his run, he pushed it precisely into the right-bottom corner past the best goalkeeper in the world, who guessed right but could get nowhere close. 1-1. Boateng had put in a wonderful performance on the night, but it was all negated by that one moment of madness.

Germany had looked comfortable until the 75th minute with one goal in the kitty, and another near-miss. But now the match had progressed through listless minutes into extra-time with the teams locked at 1-1.

The Shootout

Extra-time came and went without an event, as expected, as both teams braced themselves for the shootout, when two of the greatest goalkeepers the game has seen would take positions under the crossbar.

Italy – Germany

1. Insigne scores – Kroos scores

2. Zaza misses – Muller misses

3. Barzagli scores – Ozil misses

4. Pelle misses – Draxler scores

5. Bonucci misses – Schweinsteiger misses

6. Giaccherini scores – Hummels scores

7. Parolo scores – Kimmich scores

8. De Sciglio scores – Boateng scores

9. Darmian misses – Hector scores