Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty kick Sunday to send Italy through to the European Championship semifinals with a 4-2 win in the shootout following a 0-0 tie with England in Kiev.
Ashley Young hit the crossbar with England’s third, and Ashley Cole’s attempt was saved by Gianluigi Buffon.
Italy will play Germany in Thursday’s semifinal in Warsaw. Defending champion Spain plays Portugal Wednesday in Donetsk, Ukraine.
“We deserved this victory,’’ Diamanti said. “The penalties rewarded our dominance during the match. It’s only fair, we played a great match and battled from the first to the last minute.’’
Mario Balotelli, Andrea Pirlo - with an audacious slow chip shot down the middle - and Antonio Nocerino also scored for Italy. Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney scored for England.
In the first 120 minutes of play, the Italians twice hit the post, but were also let down by poor composure in front of the goal. Diamanti clipped the post with a curling cross in the 101st minute, and swept a clear shot wide in the second period of extra time.
Nocerino thought he had scored from Diamanti’s cross in the 115th, but was offside.
For England, it was another exit from a major tournament in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout. England lost to Portugal in the same manner at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
“We have done the country proud, but again we go home with heartbreak and it’s difficult to take,’’ said Gerrard.
Italy had 35 shots, compared with nine for England.
England had briefly led the shootout after Riccardo Montolivo missed Italy’s second penalty.
Rooney then sent Buffon the wrong way, firing in his spot kick to the keeper’s right to give England a 2-1 lead.
MLS
Portland 2, Seattle 1 - Kris Boyd scored his fifth goal of the season, David Horst converted a header, and host Portland earned a needed win over Seattle. The Timbers beat the Sounders for the first time in the league series since joining the MLS last year.
Seattle had its franchise-worst winless streak extend to seven games.
Red Bulls 3, D.C. United 2 - Brandon Barklage scored the first two goals of his career and Jan Gunnar Solli scored the winner as host New York moved into a first-place tie with D.C. United in the Eastern Conference.