England squares off against Italy in the knockout stage on June 24 at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.

England Preview

After a controversial 1-0 win against Ukraine on the 19th, England heads off to join the Quarterfinals squaring off against Italy. The English did fairly well during the qualifying stage with 5 wins and 3 draws. They finished the Group stage at the top of Group D with an overall score of 7 followed by France with a score of 4. Now, with Wayne Rooney back in action from a two game suspension, the Three Lions look ready for battle.

The seemingly smooth ride to the Quarters is not all it seemed. England had just lost the midfield duo, Gareth Barry whose cover had always been a valuable asset to the team’s defense and Frank Lampard with his goal making skills to injuries. England’s already less than satisfactory offense may have been weakened further. Wayne Rooney may have scored the winning goal against Ukraine on the closing Group match, but that was all it was, one point. He looked a bit rusty on the field during that last match. Their defense may need a little bit of fine tuning against the strong Italian offensive as well.

Italy Preview

The Group C Runners-Up and four time World Cup winners, Italy has been one of the favorites to win the Delauney Cup next to Spain of course. Their brilliance in attack has taken them to heights in tournaments that most teams aren’t capable of reaching. Although of course their performance and aggressive nature was less then apparent during the Group stage finishing second to the top which is Spain with a score of 5, Spain finished with 7, the Italians are still, by far, a strong team. CesarePrandelli isn’t just another good coach, he is known as an excellent tactician moving Italy forward despite constant problems.

One problem the Italians are facing is the fact that they don’t have enough top players that guarantee a top-level performance and rely almost solely on Prandelli’s intuition. Prandelli too often, prefers unusual formations but one man’s choice cannot always be suitable to seal a win against the opposing team.

England vs Italy Predictions: Italy wins 2-1

The win for this upcoming match has to be more inclined to Italy. The Italians have used brilliant attack formations that have guaranteed victory and although England has excellent defense, the Italians have a good chance of exploiting whatever chink they may have in their armor.

Euro Cup 2012 Highlights: Italy Capitalizes On Penalties Defeats England

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.

Italy will next play Germany in the semifinals on Thursday in Warsaw, Poland. Defending champion Spain plays Portugal on Wednesday in Donetsk, Ukraine.

Mario Balotelli, Andrea Pirlo - with an audacious slow chip-shot down the middle of the goal - 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 in the clearest chance of the second period of extra time.

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.

For England, it was yet another exit from a major tournament in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout. England lost to Portugal in the same manner at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

"We have done the country proud but again we go home with heartbreak and it's difficult to take," said Gerrard, who played in both those previous shootout losses.

Italy dominated the match, which 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.

The first scoreless match at Euro 2012 was neither dull nor lacking good soccer.

Italy's attacking desire and creativity under coach Cesare Prandelli had playmaker Andrea Pirlo at its heart. Italy had 35 shots, compared to only nine for England.

England had briefly led the shootout after Riccardo Montolivo missed Italy's second penalty. His shot went wide of Joe Hart's right post as the England goalkeeper guessed correctly.

Rooney then sent Buffon the wrong way, firing in his spot kick to the keeper's right to give England a 2-1 lead.

The momentum shifted after Pirlo's bold piece of skill leveled at 2-2.

It had been perhaps the toughest Euro 2012 quarterfinal match to predict, and Italy and England set the tone by both coming close within five minutes.

De Rossi hit the post with a spinning left-foot shot from 25 yards, then Johnson's scooped shot from close range was swatted away by Buffon.

An intriguing match almost demanded that Balotelli take center stage. The Italy forward ran clear in the 25th, but hesitated and allowed John Terry to block his chipped shot.

Balotelli forced Hart, his teammate at Manchester City, to save an acrobatic shot, then surged between England's central defenders before putting a half-volley over the crossbar. He kicked the goal post in frustration.

Italy continued surging in the second half and De Rossi, taking a ball over his shoulder, scuffed his shot wide. De Rossi sank to his knees in obvious exasperation, and more Italian frustration quickly followed.

Three rapid-fire chances in the 52nd saw Hart beat away De Rossi's long-range shot, block Balotelli's follow-up and watch Montolivo lash the loose ball high.

EURO 2012: England vs Italy Timeline

• It's 2-4 at the end of the penalty shootout.
• Alessandro Diamanti (Italy) succeeds from the penalty spot.
• Ashley Cole (England) misses his penalty attempt!
• Antonio Nocerino (Italy) scores!
• Ashley Young (England) misses!
• Andrea Pirlo (Italy) scores from the penalty spot.
• Wayne Rooney (England) succeeds from the penalty spot.
• A devastated Riccardo Montolivo (Italy) misses and walks back to his team mates.
• Steven Gerrard (England) converts his penalty!
• Mario Balotelli (Italy) scores!
• The match goes to penalties!
• We are now ready for the penalty shootout!
• 119' - Italy's Riccardo Montolivo misses with an attempt on goal.
• 117' - Pedro Proenca has awarded Italy a corner. Alessandro Diamanti takes the kick from the Right .
• 115' - Italy's Antonio Nocerino is whistled for offside at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex.
• 113' - Alessandro Diamanti of Italy gets in a strike, but is off target.
• 113' - In Kiev, Christian Maggio of Italy is presented with a shooting opportunity. But the strike is blocked by the covering defence.
• 112' - Italy's Mario Balotelli breaks free at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the strike goes wide of the post.
• 106' - The whistle has gone to start the second extra period.
• 101' - Alessandro Diamanti hits the post! Very nearly a goal there for Italy!
• 100' - Mario Balotelli gets his shot on target but fails to score for Italy.
• 99' - Mario Balotelli of Italy smashes in a shot on target. The keeper saves, though.
• 98' - Italy's Mario Balotelli gets in a shot but it is blocked by a England defender.
• 95' - Pedro Proenca blows against England's Joleon Lescott for offside.
• 94' - England make their Third substitution with Jordan Henderson replacing Scott Parker.
• 94' - Christian Maggio (Italy) gets a yellow card. He will be suspended from the next match!
• 93' - Italy's Antonio Nocerino misses with an attempt on goal.
• 91' - The first extra period has started.
• 90+3' - The score after normal time is 0-0.
• 90+2' - England's Wayne Rooney gets his shot away but it misses the target.
• 90+1' - Italy push forward at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex and Andrea Pirlo gets in a strike. This is blocked, however, by a determined England defence.
• 90' - Christian Maggio is on a sub for Ignazio Abate for Italy.
• 90' - 3 minutes of injury time will be added to the Second half.
• 89' - At Olimpiysky National Sports Complex Andrea Pirlo (Italy) takes a corner from the Right.
• 89' - Important block from the England defence as Antonio Nocerino fires in a strike for Italy.
• 87' - England drive upfield and Andy Carroll gets in a shot. The strike is blocked by a Italy defender.
• 85' - Federico Balzaretti is back on his feet again.
• 84' - The match at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex is underway again.
• 83' - Play has been interrupted briefly in Kiev to check on Federico Balzaretti, who is grimacing with pain.
• 83' - In Kiev, Scott Parker of England is presented with a shooting opportunity. But the strike is blocked by the covering defence.
• 82' - Andrea Barzagli (Italy) has been booked and must now be careful not to get a second yellow card.
• 81' - Italy's Alessandro Diamanti gets in a shot on goal at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the effort is unsuccessful.
• 80' - Cesare Prandelli is making the team's Second substitution at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex with Antonio Nocerino replacing Daniele De Rossi.
• 79' - Federico Balzaretti (Italy) goes for goal but the shot is blocked by an alert defence.
• 79' - Corner awarded to Italy.
• 78' - Alessandro Diamanti is on a sub for Antonio Cassano for Italy.
• 75' - Italy push forward at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex and Claudio Marchisio gets in a strike. This is blocked, however, by a determined England defence.
• 75' - Riccardo Montolivo (Italy) goes for goal but the shot is blocked by an alert defence.
• 74' - Steven Gerrard for England is back on the field again.
• 73' - Pedro Proenca has blown to resume play in Kiev.
• 72' - The match at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex has been interrupted briefly for a check on Steven Gerrard, who is down injured.
• 67' - Italy's Daniele De Rossi gets in a shot but it is blocked by a England defender.
• 67' - Claudio Marchisio (Italy) is given an opening but the shot is blocked by a defender.
• 65' - In Kiev Steven Gerrard for England takes a corner from the Left-hand flag.
• 65' - Important block from the Italy defence as Ashley Young fires in a strike for England.
• 63' - Italy are coming forward and Daniele De Rossi gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
• 62' - In Kiev Italy's Antonio Cassano is caught offside.
• 60' - England make their Second substitution with Theo Walcott replacing James Milner.
• 60' - Andy Carroll is replacing Danny Welbeck for England at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex.
• 60' - Italy are pushing forward but Mario Balotelli's finish is wide of the goal.
• 60' - England’s Ashley Young is on his feet again at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex.
• 60' - Ignazio Abate returns to the field for Italy after picking up a slight injury.
• 59' - Play has been resumed.
• 58' - Ashley Young is writhing in pain and play has been suspended for a few moments.
• 58' - Attention is being given to Italy’s Ignazio Abate and play has been suspended briefly.
• 56' - Italy have been awarded a corner by Pedro Proenca. Andrea Pirlo steps up to take it.
• 53' - In Kiev England attack through James Milner. The finish is off target, however.
• 53' - Riccardo Montolivo for Italy gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
• 52' - Mario Balotelli for Italy drives towards goal at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the finish is unsuccessful.
• 52' - In Kiev Italy drive forward through Daniele De Rossi. His shot is on target but it's saved.
• 49' - In Kiev Steven Gerrard for England takes a corner from the Left-hand flag.
• 48' - Italy's Daniele De Rossi misses with an attempt on goal.
• 48' - Italy have been awarded a corner by Pedro Proenca. Andrea Pirlo steps up to take it.
• 46' - Pedro Proenca has blown to start the second-half.
• 45' - The first-half has ended.
• 43' - Italy's Mario Balotelli breaks free at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the strike goes wide of the post.
• 42' - At Olimpiysky National Sports Complex Andrea Pirlo (Italy) takes a corner from the Right.
• 41' - Italy drive upfield and Antonio Cassano gets in a shot. The strike is blocked by a England defender.
• 38' - Italy push forward through Antonio Cassano, whose finish on goal is saved.
• 33' - In Kiev Italy attack through Antonio Cassano. The finish is off target, however.
• 32' - England are pushing forward but Danny Welbeck's finish is wide of the goal.
• 32' - Italy's Mario Balotelli is on target but unsuccessful.
• 29' - Italy are coming forward and Riccardo Montolivo gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
• 25' - Mario Balotelli (Italy) gets in a strike but the shot is blocked by a defender.
• 25' - Italy's Antonio Cassano gets in a shot on goal at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the effort is unsuccessful.
• 22' - Italy's Antonio Cassano gets his shot away but it misses the target.
• 21' - Pedro Proenca has awarded Italy a corner. Andrea Pirlo takes the kick from the Left .
• 14' - Wayne Rooney (England) wins the ball in the air but heads wide.
• 13' - Scott Parker of England gets in a strike, but is off target.
• 11' - Corner awarded to England.
• 5' - Glen Johnson gets his shot on target but fails to score for England.
• 3' - So close for Italy as Daniele De Rossi's shot comes back off the post.
• 1' - Mario Balotelli for Italy drives towards goal at Olimpiysky National Sports Complex. But the finish is unsuccessful.
• 1' - The first-half is now underway.

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