ITALY WIN! 3-2 ON PENALTIES OVER ENGLAND
Misses/saves from the penalties from Rashford, Sancho and Saka mean Italy are in dreamland... Agony - and on penalties - for England. Thanks for following... Full analysis will be on the Gulf News site soon.
A tug-of-war shootout ends in Italy's favour. Heartbreak for England at Wembley. Their wait goes on but Italy claim their European title for the first time since 1968.
PENS: ENGLAND v ITALY
Donnarumma v Pickford. Who will be the hero? Will the extra-man crowd cound?
PENS: ENGLAND v ITALY
I cannot imagine what is going through the minds of the fans or players. History about to be made....
FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
We go to penalties
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Subs time to bring on your penalty-takers (Rashford and Sancho on for England)
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Yup. Players pacing around now. This is a penalty shoot-out final. Or I will eat my hat (again).
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Meaty challenges in the middle, and Chelsea's Jorghino gets a yellow for raised boots on Grealish. Lucky if you ask me. Could easly be red.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Bernardeschi strikes a free-kick from distance, Pickford spills but mops up. Moments later a half-chance for England as Stones is inches away. The ball turns into a break for Italy but Pickford is aware.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
It is time for that moment.... 15 minutes away from penalties, but there is time for a hero. Who could/will it be?
EXTRA-TIME HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Throwing bodies in defence in attack. And we are at the turnaround. I think...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Really cagey now. More of a fear of losing rather than going for a winner. Next stop Penalty City if you ask me.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
It's Grealish time for England. Only 98 mins on the clock this time...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Sterling makes the first charge of note in the extra 30, but the ball is nipped off his toes as he nears the danger area.
EXTRA-TIME KICK-OFF: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
No rest for the Wembley. Off we go again... We will get a winner tonight, no matter. Whose for penalties???? Tell me to shoosh at @gulfnewssport
FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Would you have it any other way? Chiellini in the book as we go to an extra 90 mins.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Strangely, with troublemaker Chiesa out, and England's bench, will England now be favourites once again? Just the six added on for that injury delay and some idiot on the pitch.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Chiesa gives way to his knock and Bernardeschi comes on. 5 to go for a winner... Very subued Wembley now!
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Lengthy injury break for Italy's Chiesa, who took a nasty ankle knock. But on we go. A few will be added on to the 90 here. Chiesa comes back on to the annoyance of the England fans.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
Whole new face to this game now...
GOAL! ENGLAND 1 ITALY 1
There it is. England cannot feel hard done by. It has been coming and Wembley is silent. Bonucci breaks 65,000 hearts with a true poacher's goal, which came off the post, just out of Pickford's reach and we are level
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Pass, pass pass. Italy keep possession but are yet to get into that England box. Something is coming. Corner...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Great stop from Pickford from that man Chiesa. The Italian twists and turns, finds his spot but the Everton keeper is equal to is. Strong hands.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
England are doing an Italy now and playing classic keepy-ball and looking to hit on the break. Risky? Brave? Smart? I dunno!
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Maguire heads over for England. Much more subdued start to this half but we have still to see who blinks first in the dugout and looks to their bench. Pickford makes a sharp stop at his front post from Insigne at point-blank range.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
At the moment for me, the man who could make the difference for Italy is Chiesa. He is working his legs off...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Shouts of a penalty for England as Sterling - who else - goes to ground in the box. Nothing in it and ref Bjorn, again, waves it away.
KICK-OFF: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Spots of rain on the camera are we get back under way. I guess that will favour the English, but who knows as we enter the final 45 (possibly) of this great tournament. Barella gets an early yellow for a foul on England's star striker/midfielder Kane.
HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
From 55 years to 45 minutes for England. I wonder what will feel longer over the next three-quarters of and hour? "I'm going with the next 45," says a friend James. Not sure if he meant minutes or years...
HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Phew! Southgate's boys have the advantage through Shaw's brilliant early strike. Italy are creeping into it more and more though. Still in the balance. Two late chances just before the whistle let England know they cannot give the boys in blue a sniff. The England fans were the ones calling for the half-time whistle ...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY
Five to go and Italy have another free-kick. England clear before referee Bjorn Kuipers gets in the way as Italy try to follow up.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Chiesa has been getting on the ball more and is trying to make a difference. Oh hello! Italy get as close as they have all evening as Chiesa skips past Rice but is a yard off target with his shot. Pickford yet to make a save.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
England getting a wee bit deeper now... but Italy passes are still slack.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Some nice link-up play in the middle from Italy but Insigne's shot from distance goes wide and he turns to his teammates calling for support.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
So Italy have been allowed to settle down. Maybe sensible from Southgate to also calm it down rather than a rush of blood from his boys. Not a lull by any means but Italy are finding more time on the ball. Neither keeper been worried over the last five mins or so...
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Italy are not used to being this position, and given England's deeper bench, this will be a true test of character. Can Italy bring on Grealish????
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
All England now, the proverbial tail is up and they are going for the kill before Italy even have a foot in ths game. Impressive.
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
That was Luke Shaw's first ever goal for England and if Wembley (or England) had a roof, it just got ripped off. Trippier's cross in was a dream and Shaw just let rip as the Italians backed off. How many of you had Shaw as first scorer?
ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Italy are rocked after that start. They regroup and begin their pick and pass game again. This just got real for England (copyright Will Smith or Martin Lawrence). Free-kick Italy... over the bar from Insigne
GOAL! ENGLAND 1 ITALY 0
Shaw at the far post finds a great cross and volleys home from the left-hand side. What a start for England!
ENGLAND 0 ITALY 0
Wee shaky start for England as Maguire gives away a corner, but...
KICK-OFF: ENGLAND 0 ITALY 0
Toot-toot. Toy sponsor car, get out of the way, we have business to attend to. Italy get us under way.
ENGLAND v ITALY
Anthems done - Queen saved and Italy brothers awakened (one slightly louder than the other) - Prince William enjoyed that one. Here we go!
ENGLAND v ITALY
Coach speeches are done, teams are in the tunnel and the anthems are next.
Aww, bless, Imran...
ENGLAND v ITALY
The England fans have adopted 'Sweet Caroline' as their anthem for some reason and it is ringing around Wembley with 15 to go.
ENGLAND v ITALY
Stat attack thanks to the mighty OptaJoe! I don't know where he gets the time ...
ENGLAND v ITALY
While England will have the overwhelming support from the stands. The pockets of Italians are confident football is 'coming Rome'. Southgate will he hoping for a strong start to keep the crowd onside, as they are a demanding bunch...
ENGLAND v ITALY
So, any surprises for you in those starting line-ups? Get in touch on twitter at @gulfnewssport, or @mattjosmith if you want to heckle me... 35 mins to go!!!!
“It has been immense throughout,” says Craig Leader, manager of Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. “Here’s hoping England can go one more, but regardless, they have been brilliant all the way through and got to a position no other England team has been before.”
ENGLAND v ITALY
Of course, we are at Wembley, with much talk over England’s ‘home’ advantage — they played their quarter-final against Ukraine in Rome of all places.
England boss Southgate: “I’m very grateful to all of the players and the incredible staff I’ve got with me, that we’ve been able to get to our first final for 55 years. But of course we know now we’ve got to deliver for you, so we’ll be doing everything we can. Your support and energy has given us a huge lift, and I know it will on Sunday.”
Italy skipper Chiellini says his men are ready for Wembley: “There is always a home team. That has happened in the past and it won’t be the last time. There is no controversy. It is a dream for football lovers everywhere to be involved in the final and it will be even better if we can win it.”
ENGLAND v ITALY
All the build up is almost behind us but if you fancy a recap, you can check out our GN experts analysis here, this morning’s panel chat here, and resident England fan/bag of nerves Imran’s how-England-can-win preview here.
ENGLAND v ITALY
Unsurprisingly, the England fans have been out — umm — partying all day. There is an air of confidence on the streets but Gareth Southgate will have his boys in a bubble of calm away from the tumult outside. Mancini, likewise, will be shielding his men in blue, while prepping them for a raucous reception when they step onto the Wembley pitch.
ENGLAND v ITALY
I personally cannot remember a Euros quite like this one — but I am a young pup of 45. We have had wonder goals by the shed-load, own-goals by the bucketload, upsets, harrowing moments and some real bonding moments. For all its critics, this cross-country epic has truly delivered.
ENGLAND v ITALY
The passion and the nerves are out in equal measure for both sides, with England expecting after 55 years without a major trophy, and Italy last claiming this one back in 1968. That’s ... gimme a minute ... 108 years of hurt. One of those records will change. Welcome to the Euro 2020 live coverage from Gulf News.
