Euro 2012—Semifinal, National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland.
GERMANY 1-2 ITALY (FULLTIME)
Goals: Balotelli (Italy) 20', 36', Ozil 90+2'—pen
Lineups
Germany: Neuer, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Boateng (Muller), Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Kroos, Podolski (Reus), Gomez (Klose)
Italy: Buffon, Chiellini, Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo (Motta), Pirlo, Balotelli (Di Natale), Cassano (Diamanti)
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90+4'–ITALY HAVE WON IT! Time runs out for Germany and it's Italy who will beat Spain in Sunday's Euro 2012 Final. Balotelli's two goals were the difference, and it's hard to argue Italy don't deserve to advance. Germany are left to rue yet another missed opportunity at a major tournament. And yet another big-game disappointment at the hands of Italy.
90+3'—Wild scenes as Germany chase down an equalizer. Neuer is acting as a central defender.
90+2'–PENALTY TO GERMANY! Balzaretti handles and the Germans have the merest glimmer of hope here as Ozil slots away the spot-kick.
89'—YELLOW CARD: Motta adds injury to insult with a crunching tackle on Schweinsteiger. He gets a yellow for his troubles. Soon after Hummels' close-range shot is blocked by a combination of Bonucci and Buffon.
Alex Grimm/Getty Images 88'—Muller whips over a cross from the right, but Buffon gathers with relative ease. All over bar the shouting now.
85'—Reus goes through in the Italian box, but his run is blocked just as he's about to shoot. Italian just will not be beaten here.
84'—YELLOW! De Rossi in the book for a mistimed tackle. Germany advance and Chiellini concedes a corner. You just can't see Germany scoring right now.
82'—ANOTHER CHANCE FOR ITALY! Di Natale is sent clean through, but he can only find the side-netting with the goal gaping. Soon after Diamanti scores, but he's ruled offside.
80'—BAD MISS FROM KROOS! A weak clearance comes out to Kroos, but his first-time effort is blazed over the bar.
79'—Italy are cutting through Germany with ease. Pirlo's pass sends De Rossi away inside the box, but his cross is cut out by Neuer.
77'—Hummels with a header from a corner, but it's over the bar. Time running out for Germany.
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 75'—GREAT CHANCE FOR 3-0! Badstuber slips in front of Marchisio, presenting him with a clear chance to beat Neuer from 10 yards. He drags his shot wide.
73'—Neuer almost embarrassed. The Germany keeper gets caught by Di Natale trying to play his way out of trouble, and is lucky to escape without handing the Italians an opportunity.
70'—ITALY CHANGE: It's goodnight Mario, as Di Natale replaces Italy's two-goal hero after he appears to go down with a bit of cramp. He's been sensational tonight.
Michael Regan/Getty Images 67'—CHANCE FOR ITALY! Wonderful linking play from Italy results in a chance for Marchisio, who blazes his first-time shot a few yards wide. That would have been some goal, and surely the end of Germany's hopes.
66'—Ozil receives the ball in Germany's midfield, only to be surrounded by no fewer than four Italian shirts. Pirlo takes the ball off his toes and moves Italy forward.
64'—ITALY CHANGE: Motta replaces the impressive Montolivo as Italy make their second change. Both teams have one substitution remaining.
61'—YELLOW CARD! Bonucci goes in the book for a crude kick out at Kroos. He's the second man to pick up a yellow tonight, after Balotelli got one for taking his shirt off. Reus steps up to take the free-kick and BUFFON IS FORCED TO TIP IT OVER!
60'—Balotelli works himself an opening and fizzes a shot past the post from the corner of the box. Neuer never looked remotely troubled.
59'—All Germany so far in the second half. But with every minute ticked down the Italians get closer.
56'—Klose with a chance to drive into the box. Great tackle from Bonucci to deny him. Germany's corner is cleared at the near post.
Alex Grimm/Getty Images 55'—Magical stuff from Ozil, who darts inside the Italian box and pulls the ball back from the dead ball line. Klose is on hand, but the Italian defenders close him down quickly and the chance goes begging. Germany are getting closer. Or should that be Klose?
53'—Cassano with some good work on Italy's left. His cross almost finds its way to Balotelli, but Germany scramble clear.
51'—Strong start from Germany in the second half. They've clearly been read the riot act from Joachim Low and appear a much more purposeful outfit than we saw in the first half.
49'—Reus to Kroos, who lays on a shooting chance for Lahm, The German captain doesn't break stride, but his shot is just over the bar.
48'—Tricky first contribution from Reus, who snakes his way into the German box. His shot at Buffon is weak however.
46'–The second half is away. Germany have made two changes—Klose on for Gomez and Reus for Podolski.
Germany are not out of this, but they need to try something different. As the BBC pundits are rightly saying, Italy have denied them space on the flanks and won the battle in central midfield.
Michael Regan/Getty Images 45+1'—HALFTIME! The referee blows and Italy go into the break with an advantage few expected before kick-off. They lead 2-0 through a Mario Balotelli double and Germany have thus far found no answers. If the final ends up being Italy v Spain, am I allowed to say "I told you so"?
43'—Badstuber with a firm challenge on Cassano and he leaves the Italy striker writhing on the deck. Cassano looks like he'll be ok to continue.
39'—Pictures come in of a Germany fan already in tears. This is not the way they expected this game to go, that's for sure. Italy have been superb. Germany need to reinvent themselves for the second half to stand any chance of coming back into it.
Joern Pollex/Getty Images 36'—SUPER MARIO DOES IT AGAIN!!!! Montolivo's raking long-range pass releases Balotelli clean on goal. He composes himself and smashes a brilliant finish into the top corner to make it ITALY 2-0 GERMANY!!!!
35'—CHANCE FOR ITALY! Cassano does well to control the ball on Italy's left. He holds it up and eventually plays in Montolivo for a shot on goal, but the midfielder hesitates and gets caught in the box. At the other end Buffon denies Khedira's fizzing effort.
34'—Boateng skips over a tackle and whips over a fine cross from the right. Podolski looks destined to make it 1-1, but Balzaretti gets there first to deny him with an excellent block.
32'—STATS: Germany have had 51 percent of the possession so far, according to UEFA. They've also had five attempts to Italy's three. We all know the one number that counts of course.
29'—Ozil to Kroos, who tries to play in Gomez for a run on goal. But the striker isn't alert to the chance and gets caught wrong-footed. All a little bit rusty from Germany so far.
27'—Gomez finds Ozil on the edge of the box. The Real Madrid man tries to shape a shot past Buffon, but his effort is tame and Buffon gathers with ease.
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 25'—Boateng's cross finds Gomez, but the Bayern striker's glancing header drifts well wide.
23'—Italy deserve to be ahead. They've been the more threatening side going forward and made the better chances. Germany aren't quite firing yet.
20'—GOAL MARIO!!!!!! Italy lead and it's Mario Balotelli, who else, with the goal. Cassano wriggles to find space on the left and picks out Balotelli with a superb cross. The Manchester City man is up early and heads confidently past Neuer to put Italy 1-0 up!
18'—Cassano's turn to strike one. His curling effort from 30 yards is headed for the corner, but not traveling fast enough to unduly trouble Neuer. Good spell for Italy.
17'—Good play from Italy, who patiently build to the edge of Germany's box. Montolivo takes the chance to shoot and draws a low save from Neuer, away to his right.
15'—Pirlo very deep so far for Italy and it's Germany who appear to be having the better of midfield. Balotelli is a little isolated up front for the Italians too.
12'—BOTH SIDES OF BUFFON! Just seconds after unconvincingly palming away a cross, Buffon is forced into action to dive full stretch and push away a rasping shot from Kroos. Italy looking a touch shaky at the back here.
12'—De Rossi's long ball finds Balotelli superbly, but the striker is immediately wrapped up by two German defenders. Very tight so far. Both teams are feeling each other out.
Michael Steele/Getty Images 9'—Pirlo takes on Badstuber at the edge of the box, but he can't get a shot away.
9'—Podolski tries to send Gomez away down the left, but his pass is too strong. Neither side has found a decent final ball yet.
5'—BUFFON MISTAKE! The veteran Italian 'keeper misreads a corner and Hummels has a chance to score from close-range. His effort is cleared off the line and Italy escape.
Alex Grimm/Getty Images 4'—Montolivo tries to play in Balotelli, but Neuer is sharp to react and comes out to claim the ball before Super Mario can get close to it. Even start so far.
2'—Balzaretti gives away possession cheaply and Germany have a chance to cross from the left. Schweinsteiger's ball is too high for Gomez in the box.
1'—And we're away. Both sides are in their iconic colors—Italy in blue shirts and white shorts, Germany in white shirts with black shorts. Tremendous atmosphere inside the National Stadium.
A lot of talk tonight about Italy's record against Germany. The Italians have NEVER lost to Germany in a competitive match. With that thought, out come to the players to a rapturous reception in Warsaw.
Here's where the action will unfold tonight...
Here's how both sides reached the semis:
GERMANY
Group B: Germany 1-0 Portugal
Group B: Netherlands 1-2 Germany
Group B: Denmark 1-2 Germany
Quarterfinal: Germany 4-2 Greece
ITALY
Group C: Spain 1-1 Italy
Group C: Italy 1-1 Croatia
Group C: Italy 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Quarterfinal: England 0-0 Italy (Italy won 4-2 on pens)
Claudio Villa/Getty Images Balotelli starts again for Italy, who make just one change from the starting XI that faced England. Giorgio Chiellini has recovered from his hamstring injury and will replace Ignazio Abate in defense.
Joern Pollex/Getty Images The teams are in. It's Mario Gomez who starts up front for Germany, with Miroslav Klose dropping back to the bench. Lukas Podolski is also back in the starting lineup. No Thomas Muller or Marco Reus though. It's Toni Kroos who gets the nod to play alongside Ozil and Podolski.
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