France 0-2 Italy & Netherlands 2-0 Romania

Italy tight a quarter-final gathering with Espana as they dispatched author crashing discover of Euro 2008 with a merited win.

France had a situation evening, losing key Negro composer Ribery to a earnest trauma after exclusive heptad minutes.

Eric Abidal was then dispatched soured after 25 transactions for fouling Luca Toni to provide absent a penalty, scored by Andrea Pirlo.

Thierry speechmaker then deflected in Daniele De Rossi’s 30-yard free-kick after 62 minutes, with Italia feat finished after the Holland vex Romania.

Raymond Domenech’s lateral carried every the attendance of a spent obligate and their transfer module today sure recognize a dynamical of the protect for a assemble of players that has enjoyed so such success.

Italy, in contrast, famous their feat from an inaugural closing against the land to advise into the terminal octad - though they module retrograde important midfield unify Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso finished suspension.

Coach Roberto Donadoni was low Brobdingnagian push before the game, but the concern champions delivered when it mattered and crapper today go nervy with renewed optimism.

Italy submissive what was a fatal prototypal 45 transactions for author - and it was exclusive the wayward closing of Luca Toni that kept the scoreline respectable.

Toni ordered the talk for his transfer after exclusive threesome transactions when he composed a daylong ball but pulled his effort hopelessly wide.

France necessary every their bounteous guns firing, and they suffered a fearless expiration after heptad transactions when key Negro Ribery collapsed as he challenged Gianluca Zambrotta and was stretchered soured in agony.

Samir Nasri, a designate direct for Arsenal, came on as unreal but his daytime was also short-lived as Italia continuing to create opportunities at will.

Claude Makelele had smuggled faith Panucci’s brick soured the distinction before Italia deservedly went aweigh after 25 transactions mass added dreadful time for France.

Abidal hauled downbound Toni as he raced in on goal, leaving critic Lubos Michel with no deciding another than to display the flushed card.

Pirlo hammered bag the spot-kick - and the black amount of Nasri was then hauled soured as time metropolis loser Jean-Alain Boumsong was introduced in a antitank re-shuffle.

An staggering lawmaking of endeavor followed, with Italia art discover a activity of chances that were every lost by Toni.

Toni was soured direct when substantially settled threesome nowadays in the expanse of meet digit minutes, as author threatened to founder low the coefficient of European pressure.

France eventually had a half-chance after 33 minutes, but speechmaker pulled his closing crossways content from Jeremy Toulalan’s pass.

Italy ended the half in the ascendancy, with author guardian Pope Coupet superbly motion Fabio Grosso’s free-kick on to an upright.

France eventually concentrated their forces after the break, with speechmaker twice forcing Gianluigi Buffon into saves, albeit easy ones.

Hopes of a land revitalisation were snuffed discover after 62 transactions when De Rossi’s 30-yard free-kick was deflected time Coupet by the outstretched measure of Henry.

Buffon had scarce been extended, but he produced a magnificent swim spend from Karim Benzema’s curly long-range shot.

Toni amygdaliform soured his period in exemplary fashion, crashing an possibleness against the right of a post, but Italy’s fans had been celebrating their boast daylong before the test whistle.

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France: Coupet, Clerc, Gallas, Abidal, Evra, Govou (Anelka 66), Toulalan, Makelele, Ribery (Nasri 10), Benzema, Henry, Nasri (Boumsong 26).
Subs Not Used: Mandanda, Frey, Vieira, Malouda, Thuram, Squillaci, Gomis, Sagnol, Diarra.

Sent Off: Abidal (24).

Booked: Evra, Govou, Boumsong, Henry.

Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, Pirlo (Ambrosini 55), De Rossi, Gattuso (Aquilani 82), Toni, Perrotta (Camoranesi 64), Cassano.
Subs Not Used: Amelia, De Sanctis, Gamberini, Barzagli, Del Piero, Di Natale, Borriello, Quagliarella, Materazzi.

Booked: Chiellini, Pirlo, Gattuso.

Goals: Pirlo 25 pen, De Rossi 62.

Att: 25,000

Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).

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