That meant a shootout, and this was anything but clinical as German big names – Thomas Muller, Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger failed to score, neither did Italy’s Simone Zaza, Bonucci, and Graziano Pelle in the first five rounds.
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It was not a vintage shootout – both teams missed kicks and Germany, which had scored 21 consecutive penalties in shootouts at major tournaments, missed three in a rather freakish final act. “It was a war of nerves”, Neuer added.
The 25-year-old hitman was introduced late on in extra-time against the world champions specifically to take a penalty in the shootout – but blazed his spot-kick over the bar after stuttering his run-up.
“I had no real influence on the penalty-takers”, he said. It went on for ages.
Italy coach Antonio Conte said he was disappointed to go out despite his defensively-minded team showing little adventure in the final third of the pitch during the match.
Emanuele Giaccherini, Marco Parolo and Mattia De Sciglio were the other goal scorers for Italy while Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich and Jerome Boateng scored for Germany to level at 5-5.
Andrea Barzagli scored before Ozil struck the post, leaving Italy with a 2-1 lead. If he makes the Azzurri’s team for Russian Federation, he will become the first player to ever make it to six World Cups.
And, on the evidence of this shoot-out, they cannot afford to let games go to penalties in the way they used to either. After more than fifteen kicks and the scores tied 5-5, Manuel Neur, Germany’s goal-keeper dived low to keep Matteo Darmian’s shot.
“I knew I had to take one at some point and I had my heart in my mouth”, said Hector. “There weren’t many people left”.
“I don’t like to make evaluations, I prefer to leave that to others”.
Leonardo Bonucci stepped to the spot for Italy.
But with Bayern Munich team-mate Neuer in goal, he said Germany always fancy their chances. “From that point of view, the right ones had the luck that you need in a shootout”.
It was Germany’s sixth straight victory in a penalty shootout since losing the final of Euro 1976 to Czechoslovakia, and its first competitive win over Italy in nine tries dating back to 1962.
Germany will face one of either France or Iceland in the semi-final next week.
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And Germany could have got a second, but they met a rock in the name of Gianluigi Buffon who pulled off an inch-perfect reflex save against Mario Gomez.
