Wembley: Italy are through to the final of The Euro 2020 after a shoot-out success against Spain at Wembley. The teams were locked 1-1 in the regulation time and eve the extra time failed to break the deadlock. In the shoot out Azzurri scored four times while Spain could manage just two.
They had led through Federico Chiesa on the hour but substitute Alvaro Morata forced extra time. It went to a shoot-out and after Morata himself was denied, Jorginho rolled in the clincher for Roberto Mancini's team.
Italy started brightly but Spain began to take control in mid-field. The first clear chance came on 25 minutes when Dani Olmo, spearheading the Spain attack after being picked ahead of Morata, pounced on a loose ball but was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Later in the first half Italy threatened down the left, Emerson clipping the woodwork with a shot across goal.
The opening period had only simmered but the second half boiled over with chances, Ciro Immobile and Sergio Busquets going close before Chiesa forced a save from Unai Simón. On the hour mark, that man Chiesa broke the deadlock, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the box, cutting inside and curling a shot inside the far post.
Spain responded well, Mikel Oyarzabal and Olmo looking menacing. At the other end, Chiesa showed his pace to set up substitute Domenico Berardi, blocked by Unai Simón. Berardi, again, nearly doubled the advantage with ten minutes left but once more could not beat the Spain keeper; La Roja went straight up the other end and Morata, brought on after the Italy goal, levelled following a smart passing exchange with Olmo.
In extra time, Italy somehow survived a succession of shots in which both Olmo and Morata had efforts repelled, and shortly afterwards Marcos Llorente was similarly frustrated by Leonardo Bonucci. But it went to penalties, Unai Simón saving the first kick from Manuel Locatelli and Olmo then missing. Spain's fourth attempt from Morata was stopped by Donnarumma and Jorginho coolly slotted in the winner.
