120 minutes of turgid, unimaginative football was not enough to decide the winner between Spain and Italy, but Spain managed to pull out the victory and advance to the semis, 4-2 on penalties. Don't get me wrong - I love a nil-nil match involving skill and strategy - but neither was in much supply today, as Italy continued to display terribly un-Italian football, and Spain were not much better.
On penalties, Cazorla and Senna took the second and third shots for Spain; Cazorla's was hard and low, while Senna's was adventurously high and in the top of the net.
Player Rankings:
Capdevila: 5. He did not do anything poorly, but he did nothing spectacular either. His attacking play was tepid, but his defense was solid enough.
Senna: 6.5. Senna was involved in most of the attacking play by Spain, despite the fact that he was playing a defensive role for much of the match. It was his inspired shot that nearly ended the match in regulation, drilling it through the usually-sure hands of Buffon, only to be denied by a stingy post. His penalty, as mentioned above, was splendid, as penalties go.
Cazorla: 6. Cazorla started very slowly when he came on for Iniesta, but he eventually turned it on, and played a somewhat creative role. He had the opportunity in the 120' to slide a cross to David Villa, but shot instead and wasted the opportunity.
And, although not a Villarreal player, I must say, Casillas has probably acquired the title of World's Number 1, after a sold match in which his only mistake led to his beautiful kick save on Cameronesi. Stopping De Rossi and Di Nitale on penalties won the match for the Spaniards.