Germany knocks out Italy for the first time in a major tournament.

Bordeaux

Quarterfinals

2016 European Championship

Germany         1-1        Italy

Mesut Ozil (65’)           Leonardo Bonucci (78’) pen.

The two best teams in European football faced each other in the 2016 quarterfinals. History told us that this was a match that was going to be about tactics.

Italians gave it their all, but it wasn’t enough to beat Germany. The Germans march on to the semifinals after winning the third quarterfinals match of the 2016 Euro. It took penalties to decide the winner and basing it on gameplay it was a fair outcome.

Spain is the reason these two teams haven’t won the European Championship in recent

history. Italy was the runner-up the 2012 Euro, and Germany was Euros runners up in 2008.

With Spain out of the tournament, this was an opportunity to maybe win the title. For Germany, winning the title will make them the best team in the tournament’s history, and Europe. They tie Spain for the most titles won at three. Are they on their way to number four?

The last time these teams met in a major tournament was in the most recent edition of the European Championship. In a match Mario Balotelli will never forget, Italy knocked out Germany at the semi-final stage of the 2012 Euro.

It was the fourth time in history that the Italians have eliminated the Germans in a major football tournament. Three semifinals and a final.  1970 World Cup Semifinals, 2006 World Cup Semifinals, 2012 European Championship Semifinals, and the 1982 World Cup Final.

The first half was dull as expected, and there were not enough chances created by either side to grab a goal. A tactical breakdown by the Italian defense opened an opportunity for Germany to grab the lead. Mesut Ozil was quick to react to Jonas Hector’s cross into the Italian penalty box. Chances in the match were few, and the Arsenal midfielder did not mess up the opportunity. Germany was 1-0 up in the 65th minute.

Italy had the task of doing something no other team had done in the tournament, and that was to score on Germany. And it probably wouldn’t have happened if German defender Jerome Boateng hadn’t gifted them a penalty that would be hard to explain for anyone, including himself. He lifted his hands in an attempt to defend a benign cross into the German penalty box. It was a basketball defensive move on a football pitch.

Leonardo Bonucci made no mistake from the spot. He equalized in the 78th minute to make it 1-1. The 1-1 scoreline looked good for Italy, and so they stuck with it. Germany didn’t like the 1-1 draw, but they didn’t do much to change it.

After 120 minutes and five substitutions later, the match went to penalties.  

There were three misses in the first five kicks for both teams. Bastian Schweinsteiger had the opportunity to win the match for Germany on the 5th German penalty kick after Graziano Pelle had missed Italy’s fourth kick. Shockingly, and experienced player like Schweinsteiger couldn’t control his nerves and skied the ball.

It took 9 rounds of penalty kicks before a winner was found. Matteo Darmian missed the 17th penalty kick, and Jonas Hector punished the Italian by scoring on the 18th kick.

Germany is waiting in the semifinals for France or Iceland.  The odds will pick France, by we have had a few surprises in the competition. Iceland is a team that knows how to not get beaten.