Euro 2012: England fails again in penalty shoot-out as Italy advances | Bangkok Post: learning

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England's penalty curse struck again here Sunday as Italy advanced to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 with victory in a shoot-out after a tense quarter-final duel finished 0-0 following extra-time.

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Italian midfielder Alessandro Diamanti celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the penalty shoot-out of the Euro 2012 England vs Italy quarter-final match at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. AFP

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Italy advance as England pay penalty once more

KIEV — England's penalty curse struck again here Sunday as Italy advanced to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 with victory in a shoot-out after a tense quarter-final duel finished 0-0 following extra-time.

The Italians will face Germany in the semi-finals 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.

English forward Wayne Rooney (C) performs a bicycle kick. AFP

England coach Roy Hodgson said his side had given their all.

"We've gone out without being beaten with our heads held high and making the country proud," he told BBC television.

"Both Ashleys were knocking in the penalties in practice but in reality practice doesn't translate into the real thing as you can't take into account energy levels that are run down, tired legs and minds.

England skipper Steven Gerrard was equally dejected.

"The players have given everything," he told the BBC. "I thought we might have the luck in the penalty shoot-out but it wasn't to be."

English goalkeeper Joe Hart (R) vies with Italian forward Mario Balotelli. AFP

The Manchester City teammates have a friendly chat after the match (AFP)

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli agreed that penalties were a lottery but insisted the better side had won.

"We did the things we were supposed to do but then we had some luck and we did well," he said.

"When you have penalties anything can happen but we really deserved it."

England had taken a 2-1 lead in the shoot-out after Riccardo Montolivo hit his spot-kick wide but Young ceded England's advantage when he crashed his penalty off the bar.

Antonio Nocerino scored to restore Italy's advantage and when Buffon saved from Cole, Diamanti stepped up to clinch victory.

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.

The tone for a surprisingly open first half had been set after only three minutes, when Daniele De Rossi rattled the woodwork with a thumping shot from 25 yards that had Joe Hart beaten.

England responded immediately and squandered a golden chance to take the lead when Glen Johnson's effort was superbly saved by Buffon.

With their confidence lifted England enjoyed their best spell of the match and a curling Johnson cross saw Wayne Rooney's diving header fly over with the Manchester United striker under pressure from Ignazio Abate.

But having soaked up the early English pressure, Italy soon got into their stride.

English midfielder Steven Gerrard (R) scores past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon during the penalty shoot out. AFP

Italy's dominance stretched into the second half, and England continued to live dangerously.

Hodgson made a positive double substitution on the hour-mark, bringing on Andy Carroll for Danny Welbeck and replacing James Milner with Theo Walcott.

The changes had little effect, however.

Prandelli meanwhile rang the changes for Italy, bringing on Diamanti for Cassano and Nocerino for De Rossi.

Italy again dominated in extra-time, Diamanti's curling cross eluding the entire English defence and hitting the post.

Then with five minutes remaining Nocerino had the ball in the net from Diamanti's cross only to be correctly ruled off-side. AFP

penalty shootout – in football, a series of chances to kick the ball into the goal, given to both teams as a way of deciding who wins the game when both teams have the same score
quarterfinal (or quarter-final) – a competition between two of the last eight competitors remaining in a tournament การแข่งขันก่อนรอบบรองชนะเลิศ
curse – something that causes harm or evil ต้นเหตุของความหายนะ
advance – to move forward, in this case, to the next round of the tournament เข้ารอบ
semi-finals (or semifinals) – the two games that are played immediately before the last game in a sports competition. The two people or teams who win the semifinals play each other in the last game, called the final, to decide who wins the competition  การแข่งขันกีฬารอบรองชนะเลิศ
victory – winning a match ชัยชนะ
tense – making you feel nervous or worried ทำให้เครียด
duel – a competition or struggle between two people or groups การต่อสู้กันตัวต่อตัว, การแข่งขันระหว่าง 2 คน
campaign – a series of matches in a tournament
bitter – involving very angry or unpleasant feelings ความขมขื่น
familiar – well known to you คุ้นเคย
defeat – a loss in a competition ความพ่ายแพ้
clinch a win – to win a match
(cross)bar – a horizontal bar that forms the top of a goal คานประตู
seal – to make something certain or complete รับรอง, ยืนยัน
fate – the things that happen or will happen to someone ชะตากรรม
substitute – a player who replaces another member of his or her team during a match ตัวสำรอง
desolate – very lonely and unhappy หดหู่ใจ, ไร้ความสุข
proud – feeling pleased and satisfied about something that you own or have done, or are connected with ภูมิใจ
translate – to change something, or to be changed, into a different form เปลี่ยน, แปร
take into account – to consider; to think carefully about the various factors involved before making a decision or developing an opinion พิจารณา, คิดอย่างละเอียด
energy – the physical and mental effort that you use to do something กำลัง, พละกำลัง
skipper – the captain or manager of a team ผู้นำทีม
dejected – having lost their hope or enthusiasm, especially because of having failed at something รู้สึกหมดหวัง
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
deserve – of something that you earn or are given because of your behavior or qualities สมควรได้รับ
cede – to allow someone to take something away from you ยกให้
advantage – a condition giving a greater chance of success ความได้เปรียบ
extend – to add more time ยืดออกไป
knockout – of the part of a tournament when a losing team is forced out of the competition
comprehensively – completely อย่างครอบคลุม
outplay – to play much better than somebody you are competing against เล่นดีกว่า
possession – control of the ball การครองบอล
tone – the general character of a place or event; the general mood or main qualities of something ลักษณะทั่วๆไป
rattle the woodwork – to hit the goal supports (goal posts and cross bar) hard enough to shake them
thumping – hitting someone or something with force and usually with a loud sound ตีดังๆ
respond – to say or do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done ตอบสนอง, ตอบรับ
immediately – happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
squander – to waste something in a stupid or careless way  ถลุง, ผลาญ, เปลือง
lead – the position ahead of everyone else in a race or competition  ตำแหน่งนำ
superbly – of the highest quality อย่างยอดเยีี่ยม
confidence – the quality of being certain ความมั่นใจ
spell – a period of time, usually a short one ช่วงเวลา
curling –moving in a curving or twisting way (เตะ)โค้ง
cross – (in football) the action of kicking the ball from one side of the field to someone in the middle or on the other side เตะบอลขวางสนาม
dive – to move or jump quickly in a particular direction, especially to avoid something, to try to catch a ball, etc
pressure – (of a force) to press against something กดดัน, อัด, บีบ
soak up – to take something in ดูดซึม
get into your stride – to begin to do something with confidence and at a good speed after a slow, uncertain start เริ่มทำอะไรด้วยความมั่นใหลังจากเริ่มต้นช้าไม่แน่ใจ
dominance – control การครอบคลุม
positive – in a good way ในทางบวก
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
elude – to manage to avoid or escape from somebody/something, especially in a clever way หลบหลีก, หลีกเลี่ยง
post – a piece of wood or metal that is set in the ground in a vertical position, especially to support something หลัก
defence – the players who must prevent the other team from scoring; the position of these players on the sports field  ผู้ป้องกัน
off-side (or offside) – in the wrong position according to the rules in a game such as football or hockey ที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งล้ำหน้า

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