WARSAW: England’s penalty curse struck again as Italy advanced to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 with victory in a shoot-out after a tense quarter-final duel finished 0-0 following extra-time.
The Italians will face Germany in the semi-finals in Warsaw on Thursday after England’s campaign came to a bitterly familiar end with their sixth defeat in a penalty shoot-out in seven attempts since 1990.
Italy clinched a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win after Ashley Young sent his spot-kick against the bar and Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon saved from Ashley Cole to seal England’s fate.
The winning penalty was struck by substitute Alessandro Diamanti to leave England desolate once more at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.
England coach Roy Hodgson said his side had given their all.
“We’ve gone out without being beaten with our heads held high and making the country proud,” he told BBC television.
“Both Ashleys were knocking in the penalties in practice but in reality practice doesn’t translate into the real thing as you can’t take into account energy levels that are run down, tired legs and minds.
“They got their bit of luck and it wasn’t to be for us.”
England skipper Steven Gerrard was equally dejected.
“The players have given eveything,” he told the BBC. “I thought we might have the luck in the penalty shoot-out but it wasn’t to be. The lads at the back were fantastic, we have done the country proud but we go home heartbroken and that is hard to take.”
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli agreed that penalties were a lottery but insisted the better side had won.
“We did the things we were supposed to do but then we had some luck and we did well,” he said.
“When you have penalties anything can happen but we really deserved it.”
England had taken a 2-1 lead in the shoot-out after Riccardo Montolivo hit his spot-kick wide but Young ceded England’s advantage when he crashed his penalty off the bar.
Antonio Nocerino scored to restore Italy’s advantage and when Buffon saved from Cole, Diamanti stepped up to clinch victory.
The defeat extended England’s poor record of never having won a knockout game on foreign soil against a top-level football nation.
But England could have few complaints after being comprehensively outplayed over the 120 minutes of normal and extra-time, Italy with 35 attempts to England’s 9 while enjoying 64 percent of possession. (Agencies)