Euro 2012: Italy beats England on penalties to book berth for semis

Italy players celebrate after Alessandro
Diamanti scored the decisive penalty shootout

KIEV, Ukraine—Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty kick Sunday to send Italy through to the European Championship semifinals with a 4-2 win in the shootout following a 0-0 tie with England and a spot.
Ashley Young hit the crossbar with England's third, and Ashley Cole's attempt was saved by Gianluigi Buffon.
Mario Balotelli, Andrea Pirlo and Antonio Nocerino also scored for Italy. Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney scored England's penalties.

The match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes of play. The Italians twice hit the post, but were also let down by poor composure in front of goal. Diamanti clipped the post with a curling cross in the 101st minute, and swept a clear shot wide.

Nocerino, another substitute,thought he had scored from Diamanti's cross in the 115th but was offside.

Daniele De Rossi hit the post in the third minute, and Buffon saved a shot from Glen Johnson in the fifth.