Andrea Pirlo has claimed that England played for penalties following Italy's shootout victory in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
After both sides failed to find the net after 120 minutes in Kiev, the Azzurri clinched a 4-2 victory from the spot with Pirlo creating one of the moments of the tournament so far thanks to his chipped effort.
"England did not create any chances during the match. They played for the penalty shootout, while we wanted to win," the 33-year-old told Rai Sport.
"We knew we could dominate the match, and all that England did was defend. We used up more energy than we expected, but we were able to win the match."
The Italians will now face Germany on Thursday for a place in next month's final.
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
