A pleasure to watch. And a reminder of England's technical inferiority on the continent. The last eight was just about right for Hodgson's side.

Enjoy the rest of the tournament - two cracking semi-finals coming up next week.

Buona notte.

Grit over guile over 120 minutes, before the choking at the shootout. It would have been improper for Italy to go out after dominating their opponents, while England weren't given a hope of semi-finals ahead of this tournament.

Diamanti takes Italy through.

Ashley Cole misses.

Nocerino scores.

Young hits the bar.

Pirlo does the falling leaf. So cool.

Rooney scores!

Montolivo hits it wide!

Gerrard scores.

Balotelli scores. He just doesn't miss.

Hart V Balotelli

Pens to be taken at the end opposite to England's main contingent. Balotelli to step up first.

It has worked just once before...

Typed in capitals because they really have been scant.

Hart's taking his time.

"The news will follow the conclusion of the football," announce the BBC. It's getting serious now.

Four minutes to go. England hanging on for penalties. It hasn't worked well in the past.

Nocerino plants the ball in the back of Hart's net from Diamanti's cross, but is a yard ahead of the play. England are getting deeper though.

Steven Gerrard busts a gut to put him off though, and he fires wide.

As abject as England have been, first 45 minutes aside, their support has been brilliant. Except the band.

Awful free-kick from the number nine.

Good free-kick from Diamanti, but it's cleared to Pirlo, whose cross is even better but Carroll nods clear brilliantly.

Another free-kick for the Azzurri, who are benefitting from some kind decisions from the Portuguese official.

Suspect free-kick awarded to the Italians after Maggio tumbled into Young near the touchline.

England have paid more attacks than Jimmy Carr. (Say it out aloud.)

England end the half well, as Johnson and Walcott link up on the right, but the cross is too long. An aerial ball is by far England's best prospect of a goal.

Sorry Mr Mannering, but England have been at panic stations for quite some time.

Diamanti's overhit cross catches the dithering Hart out, and it hits the same post that De Rossi rattled in the first half.

Yet it's straight at Hart again. Carroll's winning the ball well from England but is hit-and-miss with his lay-offs.

But Theo Walcott can't control it.

Carroll traps the ball and lays it off superbly, Rooney feeds Young, who cuts inside but his cross is too long. Right tactic to go with if you're an England fan though.