Casillas The Hero As Spain Send Italy Packing

Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale were denied by Casillas, while Daniel Guiza was the only one to miss for Spain as Cesc Fabregas scored the decisive penalty to book a semi-final date with Russia.

First Half

Group D winners Spain reverted back to their strongest line-up having rested players during their dead-rubber win over Greece. Defender Carles Puyol was originally thought to be a doubt for this game due to injury, however he was fit enough to start. Fernando Torres and David Villa partnered each other up-front.

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni had problems in midfield as Milan-duo Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo were suspended, meaning that Massimo Ambrosini and Alberto Aquilani came in. Defender Andrea Barzagli picked up an injury in training on Thursday and was ruled out for the rest of the tournament. Antonio Cassano again started off target man Luca Toni.   There was a cagey start to the game as both teams felt each other out. The first shot of the game came in the ninth minute as Silva’s 25-yard shot was deflected into the arms of Gianluigi Buffon.

It was a very tactical affair with much of the game being played in the middle of the field. Villa went down in the box under a challenge from Ambrosini, and although there was minimal contact the referee was never going to give a penalty.

Torres then found space down the left and cut into the area, but Gianluca Zambrotta quickly got back to put the forward off.   Italy had their first attempt on 18 minutes, as Simone Perrotta made a late run into the box, and headed straight at Iker Casillas from an Ambrosini cross. Down the other end Villa tried to ambitiously lob Buffon from miles out but his effort was well wide.   Ambrosini robbed Sergio Ramos down the left, and had Toni all by himself in the middle, but he over-hit his cross.

The chess match continued but Spain were awarded a dangerous free kick just outside the area when De Rossi felled Villa. The Valencia man took the set-piece himself, and Buffon had to be alert to get down low to save.

Buffon had to be sharp again just past the half-hour as Silva drifted to the right, cut inside, before unleashing a daisycutter that the keeper took no chances with, even though it was probably creeping wide. Xavi also tried his luck from range, but his shot was deflected off target.

Spain started to have a little spell of possession but all the efforts were from long range, with Iniesta and Senna both shooting wide.

Italy created their best chance on 35 minutes, as Cassano made half a yard against Sergio Ramos, crossed into the middle for Toni but his goal-bound header cannoned off Marchena in front of him.

Silva had been Spain’s liveliest player in the first half, and he cut inside from the right again before shooting inches past the far post. Iniesta, who had switched over to the other side for Silva, played a clever give-and-go with Villa before scuffing well wide.

Second Half

Into the second half, and Silva almost had a glorious opportunity inside the area following a poor clearance from Christian Panucci, but Giorgio Chiellini made a superb last ditch tackle.

Torres shrugged Panucci off the ball down the left, and tried to cross for Villa who would have had an open goal at the back post, but Chiellini made another crucial intervention.

Spain were now on top, and Italy made a change on 57 minutes, with Mauro Camoranesi introducing Perrotta.   La Seleccion continued to attack, and Silva had another attempt from outside the area that went wide. Luis Aragones then made a double change, introducing Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla for Xavi and Iniesta.

On the hour mark Italy had a golden chance to take the lead, as a scramble in the box broke to substitute Camoranesi eight yards out, but Casillas made a superb save with his foot to keep the scores level.

Aquilani then tried his luck from distance, but he never caught hold of his volley and it went well wide. Down the other end Villa’s free kick looped up onto the roof of the net off the defensive wall. The Valencia man was booked for simulation moments later after going down easily in the area under pressure from Chiellini.

Italy were pinning their hopes mainly on Toni, and the target towered above his marker from a Zambrotta cross, but headed over. Sergio Ramos bombed forward from right back for Spain, but he slashed the ball well wide.

On 74 minutes Italy’s forgotten man in this tournament, Antonio Di Natale, replaced Cassano as Donadoni looked to inject some pace into their game.

Sergio Ramos tested Buffon with a looping left footed shot following a short corner, but it was comfortable for the Juventus man. Spain were coming on strong now and on 79 minutes Buffon beat away a dipping Villa shot. Seconds later Buffon was thanking his lucky stars as he fumbled a straightforward Senna shot, and as he scrambled back towards his line, the ball came trickled onto the post before he gratefully dived onto the ball.

Down the other end Spain also had a fortunate escape as Di Natale crossed from the right, and Grosso seemed destined to score at the far post until a retreating Toni unwittingly took the ball off his foot. Daniel Guiza replaced Torres as Aragones made his final substitution, and almost immediately had a fine chance as Chiellini got underneath a Villa cross, however Guiza controlled the ball with his hands and he was penalised.

Poor control also cost Villa dear in injury time following a fine Fabregas ball as the game inevitably moved into extra time.   Spain attacked from the off in extra time, and they were inches away from breaking the deadlock on 92 minutes as Chiellini’s block on Guiza fell to Silva, whose ferocious shot from the edge of the box whizzed inches wide.

Italy went close themselves down the other end as Di Natale’s header forced an acrobatic save out of Casillas. The luckless Toni then flicked a near post header onto the roof of the net from a corner.

Extra Time

The slow pace off the game continued, and penalties loomed nearer and nearer. Guiza meanwhile screwed a shot well wide just before the two sides swapped around for the final 15 minutes.

On 107 minutes Alessandro Del Piero was introduced for Aquilani, presumably with the intention of taking a penalty if, as was looking likely, it went to a shootout.

Silva slid Villa through on goal, but the striker’s touch forced him wide, and Buffon made the block. From the resulting corner Ramos headed wide.

In the 117th minute Di Natale found space to run into, but he shot disappointingly off target. Guiza pot-shot down the other end was watched wide by Buffon. Cazorla was then out of luck with a cross-shot as the referee blew for full time and the game went to penalties.

Penalties

Villa, Grosso, and Cazorla all scored their penalties, before Spain drew first blood with a stunning save from De Rossi. Senna and Camoranesi both scored, before Buffon looked to have got Itaky back into it by denying Cazorla. However Di Natale then had his tame spot-kick easily saved by Casillas, and it was left up to Fabregas to win it for Spain. The Arsenal man scored easily as Spain won 4-2 to end their June 22 penalty curse.

Spain are through to their first major semi final since 1984 and will now play Russia. Italy meanwhile see their dream of adding the Euros to their World Cup triumph shattered. The Azzurri will take little comfort in the fact that they haven't been beaten in normal time in a major tournament knockout tie for 20 years now. Penalties and golden goals have proved their undoing.

Villa (S): Scored
Grosso (I): Scored
Cazorla (S): Scored
De Rossi (I): Saved
Senna (S): Scored
Camoranesi (I): Scored
Guiza (S): Saved
Di Natale(I): Saved
Fabregas (S): Scored

Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Marchena, Puyol, Capdevila, Iniesta (Cazorla 59), Xavi (Fabregas 59), Senna, Silva, Torres (Guiza 84), Villa

Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, De Rossi, Ambrosini, Aquilani (Del Piero 107), Perrotta (Camoranesi 57), Cassano (Di Natale 74), Toni

Carlo Garganese