It was a classic clash of styles, but in the end Italy defeated Spain in a penalty shootout in their Euro 2020 semifinal at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
The shootout was needed after the teams exchanged goals in the 90 minutes of regulation before a scoreless half-hour of extra time, with Alvaro Morata's 80th-minute strike nullifying Federico Chiesa's sublime curling opener 20 minutes earlier.
The match afforded a look at two very contrasting styles, as Spain employed a methodical, pass-heavy approach while the Italians used quick counterattacks and direct play to unbalance their opposition. The run of play would suggest that the Spaniards were the better side on the day, as they enjoyed a 71-29 possession advantage and outpassed the Azzurri 908-387.
Spain's ball dominance kept Italy locked in its own half for long stretches of the game, but Luis Enrique's men couldn't turn possession into goals aside from Morata's late marker. That would be the Spaniards' undoing as Italy did just enough to take the lead and eventually push the match to extra time and penalties.
In the shootout, both sides missed their first attempts before making their next two, leading to a Morata effort that was easily saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. That gave Jorginho the chance to win it from the spot for the Italians and his did just that, rendering Spain's final attempt moot.
Italy now awaits the winner of Wednesday's England vs. Denmark semifinal.
DAZN News provided live commentary and analysis from Tuesday's match. Here's how it went down.