Germany wins shootout, sneaks past Italy into Euro 2016 semis

Germany’s Manuel Neuer proved why he’s the world’s best goalkeeper and, in doing so, sent the world champion Germans to the semifinals of Euro 2016 with a penalty shootout win over Italy in Bordeaux on Saturday.

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With the two European powers still deadlocked after 120 minutes and 16 penalties, Neuer pushed away Matteo Darmian’s spot kick. Jonas Hector then stepped up to slide his attempt under a sprawling Gianluigi Buffon to give Germany a 6-5 shootout victory.

A tactical battle over the regularly scheduled 90 minutes was interrupted by a 65th-minute Mesut Ozil goal, but a Jerome Boateng handball in the box gave Italy a lifeline. Leonardo Bonucci beat Neuer from the spot to equalize.

A pedestrian extra time period led to a gripping shootout that was decided by the slimmest of margins. Both sides missed their fifth shots, but then, unflinchingly, converted their next three. Neuer’s 6-foot-4 frame proved to be the difference in a game where there weren’t many.

Overall, Saturday’s quarterfinal was a dull one. And that was no accident.

To counter Italy manager Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2, Germany boss Joachim Loew adopted a 3-5-2 of his own, replacing playmaker Julian Draxler with center back Benedikt Howedes in the starting 11. Loew’s decision was likely to combat an Italian pressing system that could have troubled Germany in its traditional 4-2-3-1. Italy’s strikers would have gone man-to-man on German center backs Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, and that could’ve left the German defense in some sticky spots when it tried to play out of the back.

The result of Germany’s restructuring was a messy, tense tactical battle that bored more than it fascinated. The two sides all but neutralized each other for much of the opening 45 minutes. German wing backs Joshua Kimmich and Hector often pinned Italy back into a 5-3-2 without the ball.

Midway through the first half, the Germans began to assert themselves. Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil squeezed up on Italy’s center backs, the wing backs canceled each other out and the angles of the pressing runs from the German front three cut off midfield avenues.

By going to the 3-5-2, Loew essentially offset Italy’s tactical advantage and made the game about individuals. Even when Italy did find Marco Parolo or Stefano Sturaro, the Italian midfielders didn’t have the skill to play out and through to the front two.

The half’s best two chances came late. With 42 minutes gone, Toni Kroos’ miscued shot bounded to and pinballed off of Kimmich. It fell to Muller, who couldn’t make proper contact. A minute later, Leonardo Bonucci played a trademark lofted through-ball into the path of Emanuele Giaccherini. Giaccherini’s cross trickled to an onrushing Sturaro, but the midfielder’s 20-yard drive was deflected wide by Boateng.

The half ended in a stalemate.

Not much changed at halftime, but the first chance of the second half fell to Muller. His left-footed shot was angling wide, and Alessandro Florenzi’s flying block made sure of it.

As Italy’s press waned, Germany became more adventurous. The goal came down the left. Mario Gomez rewarded Hector’s bursting forward run with a reverse pass, and Hector’s deflected cross was turned in by Ozil.

Germany looked comfortable after the goal. Three minutes later, Ozil presented Gomez with a glorious chance to double the lead, but the burly striker couldn’t synch up his body position and first touch. Giorgio Chiellini just barely intervened.

Italy’s break came via a fairly nondescript passage of play. Boateng, goal-side of Chiellini near the edge of the box, raised his arms to indicate to the referee that he was not grappling with the Italian. Chiellini’s header flicked up into Boateng’s outstretched arm, and referee Viktor Kassai pointed to the spot. Bonucci converted with aplomb.

The equalizer galvanized Italy, and at 1-1, for the first time, Conte’s side looked more likely to score. The Italians threatened once or twice on the counter. But the match headed to extra time.

The final 30 minutes were stretched and strained. Draxler, on as a sub, agonizingly misplaced a pass that would have given Muller a golden chance at a winner.

Ozil’s spinning strike in the 119th minute comfortably found the paws of Buffon, and penalties were imminent. But before the end of the extra session, Conte replaced Chiellini with Simone Zaza solely for the purpose of the shootout.

Lorenzo Insigne and Toni Kroos began the shootout successfully.

Zaza’s slow, stalling approach – and his manager’s decision to insert him – looked awfully embarrassing in retrospect, as he skied his penalty well over the bar. However, Buffon spared Zaza with a save on Muller.

Andrea Barzagli put Italy up 2-1 in the shootout, and Ozil’s attempt that hit the outside of the post gave the Italians a decided advantage. But Pelle missed wide left, and Draxler leveled things at 2-2.

Neuer got his shootout revenge on Bonucci and palmed away Italy’s fifth attempt. That gave Bastian Schweinsteiger a chance to put Germany through, but the veteran skewed his spot kick high and wide.

In sudden death, Giaccherini, Hummels, Parolo, Kimmich, De Sciglio and Boateng all held off nerves to come through in the clutch.

In the ninth round of penalties, Italy cracked. Neuer denied Darmian, and Hector booked Germany’s spot in the semis.

The Germans will play either France or Iceland on Thursday.