Here comes the good news for football enthusiasts in Italy, as their nation’s football team has beaten England in the Euro Cup 2012 to reach the semifinals.

Or say it that England's penalty curse struck again on Sunday as Italy advanced to the semifinals of Euro 2012 with victory in a shoot-out after a tense quarterfinal duel finished 0-0 following extra-time. Now the Italians will face Germany in the semifinals in Warsaw on Thursday after England's campaign came to a bitterly familiar end with their sixth defeat in a penalty shoot-out in seven attempts since 1990.

Italy clinched a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win after Ashley Young sent his spot-kick against the bar and Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon saved from Ashley Cole to seal England's fate. The winning penalty was struck by substitute Alessandro Diamanti to leave England desolate once more at Kiev's Olympic Stadium.

The defeat extended England's poor record of never having won a knockout game on foreign soil against a top-level football nation. But England could have few complaints after being comprehensively outplayed over the 120 minutes of normal and extra-time, Italy with 35 attempts to England's 9 while enjoying 64 percent of possession.

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Source: TNN