“You can’t just assume that if it’s penalties, Germany advance”, their frazzled goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said. “I can’t describe the feeling”.
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The World Cup holders went on to dominate possession throughout but Gianluigi Buffon was untroubled by a Mario Gomez toe-poke while the veteran goalkeeper also easily saved from a Mueller shot late in the first half.
“I was prepared for the penalties, but frankly every one of the Italians made a decision to shoot and not one chose the corner they shot at last time”.
Italy’s dream of securing a place in the last four match-up with France or Iceland, who face off on Sunday, was kept on track by Leonardo Bonucci’s late penalty that levelled a 65th minute opener by Mesut Ozil. Young German Left- Back Hector converted his spot kick and Germany were through to the semis.
It seemed that might be enough to win the game, but Italy equalised out of the blue 13 minutes later.
The Sunderland midfielder was among the Azzurri’s most prominent and surprising players at Euro 2016, keeping a very high standard in performances all the way until his team crashed out against Germany in the quarter-finals.
“Usually, we have good penalty takers, although they haven’t scored today”, Loew told journalists.
It was Germany’s sixth straight victory in PKs since losing the Euro 1976 final to Czechoslovakia, and its first competitive win over Italy in nine tries dating to 1962.
“For now I’ll leave it to others to take them but if it comes to penalties again and someone is needed, I’m there”.
Antonio Conte’s men had emerged as one of the story’s of the tournament with their memorable run to the last eight, overcoming the fact that they had a distinct lack of quality in their squad.
The 46-year-old former Juventus coach caused some confusion when he appeared to suggest he had reconsidered whether to continue with Italy instead of taking up his post with Chelsea.
Italy looked down, but they were not out.
Florenzi curled the ball into the area, Boateng went up for a challenge with Chiellini with his arms raised like a basketball player and the ball hit the German’s arm. The defender stuttered to the ball and finished cleanly into the bottom right corner, far from the reach of Neuer to tie the match at 1-1.
Italy suddenly found a new lease of life as Graziano Pelle had a shot deflected wide following a quick break and De Sciglio fired into the side-netting. He blurted on the Italian national board and the media, “I hope in the future we can give more time for the national side”.
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As Germany, as ever, won the battle of nerves from the spot.
