Italy dominated for huge swathes of the contest, but were unable to make the breakthrough as England retreated further and further into their shell.

Penalties offered the Three Lions hope but, after Riccardo Montolivo fired wide, Ashley Young and Ashley Cole both failed from 12 yards to leave former West Ham forward Alessandro Diamanti as the man to step up and send Italy into a semi-final date with Germany.

Italy were almost in front inside the opening three minutes when Daniele de Rossi's deliberately sliced volley from 30 yards crashed back off the post with Joe Hart beaten.

England responded almost immediately as Glen Johnson found himself on the edge of the six-yard box, but his shovelled attempt produced a superb reflex stop from Gianluigi Buffon.

The enigmatic Mario Balotelli had numerous chances to put Italy ahead, but was denied by a block from John Terry and then alert defending from his Manchester City team-mate Joleon Lescott.

De Rossi had a golden opportunity to put the Azzurri in front three minutes after half-time, but snatched at his shot, while Balotelli was denied by club colleague Hart and then saw an ambitious overhead kick fly over.

England retreated more and more as the game wore on and were almost punished in the first period of extra-time when Italy substitute Diamanti saw his cross come back off the post.

The Azzurri finally had the ball in the net with five minutes left of extra-time, but substitute Antonio Nocerino was fractionally offside when he stooped to head home and England held out to force a shoot-out.

Man of the match:

Andrea Pirlo. He dictated the play from start to finish and his penalty in the shoot-out smacked of a man brimming with confidence. The range of his passing and vision had England chasing shadows at times, the veteran setting up the majority of Italy's attacks with the Three Lions often powerless to resist.

【新闻快讯】

欧洲杯1/4决赛最后1场在基辅奥林匹克球场展开角逐，意大利120分钟内0比0平英格兰，点球大战中4比2胜出，半决赛将对阵德国。上半时，德罗西远射中柱，约翰逊近射被布冯神勇扑出，巴洛特利单刀射门被特里封堵。加时赛中，意大利替补迪亚曼蒂打中立柱。

点球大战开始！第1轮，巴洛特利推射入左下死角，杰拉德打进同一角度，1比1；第2轮，蒙托利沃右脚推射偏出左门柱！鲁尼右脚劲射入左上角，1比2；第3轮，皮尔洛冷静打“勺子”点球攻破门中路！阿什利-扬大力抽射击中横梁！2比2；第4轮，诺切里诺推射入左下角，阿什利-科尔左脚推射右下角被布冯倒地没收！3比2；第5轮，迪亚曼蒂左脚推射入左下角，4比2！

【本场最佳球员】

安德里亚·皮尔洛：他整场比赛都在指挥着意大利队，他在点球大战中的“勺子”点球挫伤了英格兰门将的自信心。他开阔的视野和传球总是让英格兰队追逐他的影子，这位经验丰富的老兵发动了意大利队绝大多数的进攻，他让英格兰三狮军团无力抵抗。