The Three Lions were truly dejected after the penalty shoot-out, it has been something that has haunted England team for a long time. Six times now they lost in such fashion, the last 4 on this very stage of the competition.
Ashley Young and Ashley Cole last night joined the list of those who failed to deliver when it matters. However, it was undeniable that Italy deserved to advance, as they were pretty much dominating the game.
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| Italy has what it takes when it comes down penalty shoot-out |
England verdict
Roy Hodgson's men started the game with quite a spirit, created number of chances. But as the game went on, they slowly allowed Italy to take control. Mario Balotelli had number of chances and on several occasions beat the off-side trap by English defense. It seems that Hodgson's squad lack the physical strength needed for a 120 minutes game and the nerve for the penalty shoot out. Steven Gerrad was tied up too much with defensive duties.
Italy verdict
Azzurri deserved the win. They took control of the match after a sloppy early defending which gave England umber of chances. Mario Balotelli made the English annoyed, as his run created a lot of space for Pirlo to work on. Italy's passing was deadly last night, however that was not the case with their finishing. Chances after chances have been squandered by Italian striker, which begged the question for the match-up with Germany in semi-final. Pirlo once again showed that he was the soul of Italy's game and his "tricky" penalty was a big hit on Hart's confidence.
So this is it, Spain vs Portugal and Italy vs Germany in semi-finals. Watch out for our updates. Meanwhile, check out the latest EURO 2012 odds and markets at M88 Sports Betting
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