Jorginho scored the winning penalty as Italy avenged the Euro 2012 final defeat to beat Spain and move onto the final of Euro 2020.

  • Story of the Match

The game was played at a high tempo throughout, but neither team showed that killer instinct until deep into the second half.

The Azzuri went into the semi final on a thirty-two match unbeaten run - a national record - and showed exactly why when Federico Chiesa unleashed a wonderful curled effort across Unai Simon and into the far corner of the net, sending half of the 60,000 fans inside Wembley Stadium wild on the hour mark.

Mikel Oyarzabal missed two glorious chances either side of the opening goal before much ridiculed Alvaro Morata rescued Spain with a brilliantly taken finish.

The substitute's absence was somewhat surprising despite his indifferent form throughout most of the tournament, but the Juventus striker showed exactly what he can do with ten minutes left.

Dani Olmo was Spain's standout player in the regular ninety minutes and linked up with Morata with a superb one-two. Morata's sublime first touch was matched by a cool, composed finish, sending Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way and rolling the ball inside the near post.

Simon looked nervy in the Spain goal, but Ciro Immobile and co. didn't test him anywhere near enough to capitalise. Having gone the whole 120 minutes in both the Round of 16 and the Quarter Finals, Spain should have been the most leggy, but were in fact the more energised.

Olmo's evergreen lungs drew foul after foul as Italy looked to hang on and take the game to penalties with players pulling up with cramp. Luis Enrique therefore decided to bring on Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara for good measure as the Spaniards went for the jugular.

Alas, it was destined to go to penalties. Given that Italy had lost three of their previous five shootouts, Spain had to be the favourites.

That, though, proved to be a bad assumption as the Azzuri deservedly triumped 4-2 on spot kicks. Manuel Locatelli missed the first shot from twelve yards, but Olmo and Morata were unable to convert.

That gave Jorginho the chance to send his country into dreamland and he did not disappoint - sending Unai Simon the wrong way with his nonchalant hop and placed side foot finish.

  • Takeaways

Chiesa is the real deal

He didn't influence the game an awful lot, but when he did, boy did he. Son of legendary figure Enrico, Federico Chiesa emulated his father's clinical nature to smash in the opening goal of the game and, after an extremely impressive Serie A season with Juventus, looks sure to be a world beater in the future.

England or Denmark should be confident

Despite the entertaining encounter, neither Spain nor Italy took charge of the game and clear cut chances were few and far between. Both goalkeepers' distribution also looked shaky, so this is an area which England or Denmark must look to exploit in the final.

 

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