England's Achilles Strikes Again

England line-up: Hart, Cole, Lescott, Terry, Johnson, Milner (Walcott, 61'), Gerrard (c), Parker (Henderson, 95') Young, Welbeck (Carroll, 61'), Rooney
Italy line-up: Buffon (c), Abate (Maggio, 90'), Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Pirlo, Marchisio, Montolivo, De Rossi (Nocerino, 80'), Cassano (Diamanti, 78'), Balotelli  

England lose on penalties once again to exit another major tournament. Italy were the better team throughout and justice was served when Ashley Young and Ashley Cole both missed their spot-kick to send the boys home. It looked like it was going to go England's way when Riccardo Montolivo sent the second penalty wide of the mark. Wayne Rooney made it 2-1 England before Young hit the crossbar after Andrea Pirlo chipped his effort in, making it 2-2. Cole's penalty was then saved by Gianluigi Buffon before former West Ham man, Alessandro Diamanti, scored the fifth and final penalty home.

They match started in an attacking fashion with Daniele De Rossi smashing a curling shot against the post after just four minutes. England responded by going up the other end with Glen Johnson unable to get the ball out of his feet to send a meaningful shot either side of Buffon.

After the initial twenty minutes, the game quietened down as Italy began to dominate possession. Their main attacking threat was a long ball tactic towards Mario Balotelli who broke the offside trap on numerous occasions. The first real chance for the Manchester City striker came four minutes before the half hour mark but his effort was smartly blocked by John Terry.

England's next chance came after 33-minutes when Danny Welbeck and Rooney linked up well before Welbeck placed a shot just over the bar. From there, the half remained with Italy firmly in control of possession but not doing enough to penetrate the defence or troubling Joe Hart's goal.

The second half looked a lot more tired than the first but Pirlo was on hand to continue to dictate the game. But Italy should have scored within three minutes of kick-off when De Rossi found himself four yards out, but he scuffed his effort hopelessly wide. The next real chance of the half came on the hour mark when Balotelli brought down a cross before sending a clever over-head kick just over the bar.

That was followed up by the largely uninfluential Young firing a shot that was just deflected wide for a corner which came to nothing. The only other chance England had in the half was an over-head kick from Rooney that also went agonisingly over the bar in injury time.

With the game into extra time, if there was going to be a goal it was only going to come from Italy as England unusually looked like they were playing for penalties. They came close just inside the second half of extra time when an Diamanti cross come shot just brushed off the post. They then though they had scored when  Nocerino headed a Christian Maggio cross home, but the flag was up instantly and replays showed it was an extremely close call, but the right one.

From there, the game fizzled out into penalties with England breathing a huge sigh of relief. But it was a breath to be regretted as their old nemesis struck for the eighth time to knock England out.