That was something else.
After a cagey 1-1 draw and 30 minutes of uneventful extra time, Germany vs. Italy exploded in one of the most engaging penalty shootouts in tournament history.
This wasn't the calm and collected Germany penalty-taking side we knew. Or the coolly efficient Italian penalty-taking outfit from Euro 2000.
Germany vs. Italy in the Euro 2016 quarter finals was nothing short of chaos.
https://twitter.com/whatahowler/status/749359017462370305
Some were rather to the point with their advice.
https://twitter.com/JohnnyTheNic/status/749358524791197696
The #scenes began right around the time Muller missed his penalty...
https://twitter.com/PsykoUK/status/749359421260693504
https://twitter.com/MiguelDelaney/status/749357187764543489
And it didn't get any better when Ozil missed his
https://twitter.com/Huuurrley/status/749360120082169860
https://twitter.com/arrsnal/status/749361542492225536
At one point it looked like Italy would gain the upper hand as Neuer was only leaning to his right.
https://twitter.com/MiguelDelaney/status/749358466465136640
But neither team could capitalise. We eventually did reach a 5-5 draw, but both sides had taken EIGHT penalties to get that point. Everyone was floundering.
https://twitter.com/RyanRosenblatt/status/749358225615491072
Graziano Pelle, who is fond of chipping the keeper, tried to outsmart Neuer, but then only managed to send his penalty wide.
https://twitter.com/M_Sarfo15/status/749359566261981184
https://twitter.com/JackBaker1311/status/749360929905774601
Bastian Schweinsteiger had match point for Germany, but then shot his penalty clear over the bar.
https://twitter.com/flashboy/status/749358082464030722
https://twitter.com/steamedhamsjpeg/status/749362628754018305
Then it came to Simone Zaza, who was brought on late in extra time to take a penalty. It cued derision for its prolonged run up.
https://twitter.com/RM_Insider/status/749361902023696384
https://twitter.com/DanThomasESPN/status/749361786768547840
And after Matteo Darmian fluffed his lines, that would be all she wrote for Italy. It ended as it always does: with the Germans winning on penalties. 6-5 and Die Mannschaft roll onto a semi-final where they will play the winner of France vs. Iceland. HOWEVER...
https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/749359522603556866
All in all, it was really rather fun.
