Italy beat Belgium 2-1 on Friday to set up a Euro 2020 semi-final against Spain, as Lorenzo Insigne’s wonderful strike proved to be the winning goal in Munich.
Nicolo Barella put Italy, now on a record 32-match unbeaten run, ahead before Insigne curled home in the 44th minute.
Romelu Lukaku pulled one back from the spot before half-time but Belgium, the world’s top-ranked side, could not find an equaliser and Italy will face Spain at Wembley on Tuesday for a spot in the final.
This match had been billed as the battle between the two favourites for the competition, and neither side disappointed in what was a thrilling contest from the outset.
Italy had the ball in the back of the net after 13 minutes, Leonardo Bonucci chesting home from a free kick, but Giorgio Chiellini, who had flicked the ball on, was offside.
Belgium threatened early too, with Kevin de Bruyne and Romalu Lukaku both forcing brilliant saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma either side of that disallowed goal.
However, it was Italy who did eventually open the scoring when Barella scythed his way through the Belgian defence before slamming the ball past Thibaut Courtois in the 31st minute.
Italy doubled its lead thanks to a sumptuous solo strike of the highest quality from Insigne.
The Napoli skipper picked up the ball in his own half and raced to the edge of the penalty area, skipping past a tentative Youri Tielemans challenge on the way, before precisely curling the ball past Courtois into the top corner.
Belgium were handed a lifeline in stoppage time when Giovanni di Lorenzo pushed 19-year-old Rennes progeny Jérémy Doku in the penalty area, Romalu Lukaku slamming home from the spot to reduce the deficit.
Lukaku had a wonderful chance to equalise in the second half after some excellent work from Doku and de Bruyne down the left, but could not convert after Leonardo Spinazzola got back to effect the block.
Shortly after, Lukaku came within a whisker of getting his head to a deflected Nacer Chadli cross, but the ball bounced tantalisingly over him and away from danger.
Spinazzola later left the field on a stretcher after suffering a leg injury when he slipped on the turf, the only blemish on what was otherwise a perfect night for Italy as they chase a first European Championships title since 1968.
(NSW NEWS)
