Italy and Netherlands met in the semi-finals of the European Championships with both sides desperate to meet Spain in the final.
The Azzurri topped Group A after taking seven points from a possible nine, while the Dutch finish second in Group B to La Roja.
Italy are now one game away from winning the tournament, after a narrow win.
Read how it all unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Italy and Netherlands in the final four of the U21 Euro 2013.
This match should be a corker. Two sides that love to attack and ooze with talent. Italy cruised their way to winning Group A above Norway, Israel and England, while the Netherlands only finished below finalists Spain after dismantling Germany and Russia.
The Italians are probably slight favourites in this match, but take nothing away from the Netherlands. This should be a very even and hotly-contested encounter.
Right, let's get some team news.
ITALY XI: Italy: Bardi, Donati, Caldirola, Bianchetti, Regini, Verratti, Florenzi, Rossi, Immobile, Insigne, Borini
The standout name to many will be Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, who starts upfront for the Azzurri. There are also a number of Serie A talents in that team, including Inter's Bianchetti and Napoli's Insigne. Verratti of Paris Saint-Germain also gets a place in the starting XI.
And here is the Italian bench...
ITALY BENCH: Colombi, Leali, Biraghi, Capuano, Marrone, Bertolacci, Crimi, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Paloschi, Saponara
Right, and now for the opponents. Here is the Netherlands starting lineup.
NETHERLANDS XI: Zoet, Van Rhijn, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind, Strootman, Maher, Van Ginkel, De Jong, John, Wijnaldum
The first name that you are likely to recognise from that bunch is PSV Eindhoven's Kevin Strootman, who has been the subject of interest from Manchester United. Ajax's Luke de Jong should also be familiar, while Adam Maher and Marco van Ginkel are reported targets for Arsenal and Chelsea respectively.
And now a look at the Netherlands substitutions.
NETHERLANDS BENCH: Bizot, Marsman, Van der Hoorn, Van Aanholt, Clasie, Leerdam, Fer, Trindade de Vilhena, Jozefzoon, Hoesen, Depay.
We're just eight minutes away from the start of the match, and here is how they have got on so far.
The two teams are out, and the national anthems have just been sung.
We're about to get underway here.
ITALY GET US UNDERWAY!
Italy are wearing blue from top to toe and are shooting from right to left in this first half.
The Dutch are in their traditional all-orange attire, and are playing to the left.
Italy have had much of the ball at the start but the Dutch are very quick on the break. Netherlands have a free kick right on the edge of the box after a handball from Verratti. It's almost too close.
Maher and Strootman are over the ball.
It's about three yards outside the box to the right of the D.
OFF THE POST! So close to a Netherlands opener. It's a beautiful effort from Maher who guides it round the right of the wall but off the frame of the goal. Unlucky.
YELLOW CARD Italy have conceded another free kick immediately, to the right of the box. There will have to be a cross here. Fabio Borini is shown a yellow for the foul.
Maher takes it once again, and there are loud Dutch cries for a handball as it seems to hit Bonati in the box. They have a case but it would have been very harsh.
No real chances for Italy as of yet. Borini was played in down the right and he a number of free players to play it to, but he failed to find any of them with his chip.
There has been a good tempo to this match so far though. The Dutch are preparing to take a corner from the left.
Bardi does enough to flap it away, and they can get hold of the ball the second time around.
Netherlands look so fluid when they move forward, but the Italians are proving very physical so far.
Netherlands break down the right and Wijnaldum whips in a very good cross level with the six-yard box. De Jong fails to get a head on it and John can't quite keep hold of it.
Bit of a scrap going on here as Florenzi takes out John on the touchline. John isn't happy with him, and refuses to shake his opponent's hand, causing Florenzi to point to the 'Fair Play' logo on his sleeve and is pulled away by his teammates.
YELLOW CARD Verratti is the second Italian player to go into the book after chops down De Jong.
Bit of a feisty one this.
Netherlands have been the better side, Italy just can't keep hold of the ball, whereas the Dutch are so cool, calm and collected in possession.
CHANCE! The Netherlands are a whisker away from going in front. John kills the ball at the byeline and cuts it back to the edge of the box to Strootman. His cross/shot is curling away from goal and is just too far in front of the stretched De Jong for him to convert.
CHANCE! Bianchetti dives in front of Ola John to block a fierce drive after the forward got his head down and cut in from the left wing.
Not too much to report in last few minutes. A lot of fouls and offsides in a stop-start match. Italy have a free kick in a crossing position of the right of the Dutch box now though. Good chance.
CHANCE! It's whipped in towards the penalty spot, where Borini gets his noggin to it, but can't guide it goalwards as it goes behind for goalkick.
CHANCE! Italy come at Netherlands with a good counter-attacking move, which ends in a good stop from Zoet. Some lovely play from the Italians who pass their way out of trouble before putting Immobile through on goal. He is running away from the target, but manages to get his shot away, only for Zoet to block with his shins.
The way things are at the moment, I really can't see both teams finishing with 11 players.
The momentum is with the Italians at the moment, who are starting to attack more. However, Netherlands always look so dangerous on the break with their raw pace on the flanks.
There are a few elbows flying about during these collisions. Netherlands have a penalty appeal after De Jong goes down in the box, but nothing is given.
CHANCE! Insigne has a half-chance for Italy as he gets in a decent position before dragging his shot wide.
CHANCE! Two bites of the cherry for the Dutch there. First Bardi saves well from Blind's strong strike from the left, before Maher's follow-up effort is blocked.
CHANCE! The game is really coming alive just before the break as Italy take their turn to bombard the Dutch goal. Borini is again the man on the attack, who ruffles the back of the net with his shot, but the small problem is that it went around the post rather than cross the line. Off target.
Netherlands have a great chance from a free kick here after brilliant work from Maher. He goes past two players on the edge of the box before being sliced down.
This will be the last chance as we have one minute of added time.
CHANCE! It's a similar effort from the dead ball situation, again from Maher, but his curler is wide of the right post.
HALF TIME: Italy 0-0 Netherlands
So a goalless first half that began and ended well with some lovely football and a few chances. However, it was spoiled in the middle due to a number of needless fouls, that looked at one point as if it was going to escalate out of hand.
However, all 22 players are still on the pitch for now, and Spain have no clearer idea as to who they will face in the final.
Both sides are back out onto the field for the second half. This will go to extra time and penalties if needed.
NETHERLANDS GET US UNDERWAY
Well...at the second attempt.
Just like in the first half, there have been a fair few fouls in the early stages of this second half.
Bit of a dull start to this second half, the atmosphere has died a bit, and there have been no chances as of yet. Can only get better.
Ten minutes gone in the second half, here is my second-half report....Ok, I'm done.
It goes without saying that this game desperately needs a goal. Surely the pace will pick up the further into this match we get? In a semi-final, you would have thought so.
ITALY CHANGE Immobile is coming off as Manolo Gabbiadini, who netted twice against Israel, enters the fray.
I'm a bit surprised that Italy didn't opt to keep Immobile on as well as adding Gabbiadini.
Michel Platini slumped in his seat, looking close to dozing off, about sums up the action at the moment.
CHANCE! Nearly some action as the ball is cleared by Netherlands but only as far as Borini, who fires an instant effort back at the Dutch goal, but it skids just wide of the far post. That's more like it!
The Dutch have not had as much control in this half as they did in the first, also been a bit careless with some of their, what is usually excellent, passing.
NETHERLANDS CHANGE Ola John, who has been quiet today, is the first to make way for the Dutch as the exciting Memphis Depay comes on.
Great opportunity for the Dutch as De Jong goes down the left side of the box, there are tons of players for him to aim at in the box, but his cut back is desperately hacked away by the Italian defence. They now have a free kick out wide.
Depay slams the effort into the wall.
Italy break with Gabbiadini as he races towards the edge of the Dutch box. He slides it to the left where Borini holds it up before playing it back. The ball comes at an awkward height for Gabbiadini, whose volley hits the floor and bounces into the arms of Zoet.
NETHERLANDS CHANGE Stefan de Vrij makes way for Mike van der Hoorn to come on.
GOAL! Italy 1-0 Netherlands (Fabio Borini)
YES! YES! YES! YES! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! Finally we have a goal, and finally a game on our hands and it's a great goal from Borini. Insigne passes it from the left into the box where Borini nips in ahead of the Van der Hoorn before turning and slotting the ball into the far corner. Great goal.
Netherlands have to come out and attack now. Blind hits a free kick into the wall from the wide right, but the Dutch stay on the attack.
Apologies to any Dutch supporters for more goal celebrations, I'm supporting neither, but my word did this game need that goal.
NETHERLANDS CHANGE Super sub is coming on for the Dutch as Leroy Fer steps onto the pitch for Blind. Striker for a defender, Netherlands are going for it.
ITALY CHANGE Lorenzo Insigne is being summoned to the bench, as Nicola Sansone of Parma comes on.
Four minutes to go, your move Netherlands.
Bardi is down asking for treatment after a minor collision, and the fans are absolutely slaughtering him for it. They feel that he is time wasting.
CHANCE! Fur goes close for the Dutch after a terrific leap from a Maher corner, but it is well saved by Bardi.
Italy are doing their best to run down the clock with just minutes remaining.
There is still time for the Dutch, we have five minutes of stoppage time to go.
YELLOW CARD Martins goes into the book for Netherlands.
ITALY CHANGE Fausto Rossi makes way for Marco Crimi.
More "injuries" for Italy as Caldirola needs some attention.
We have 30 seconds to go. Last chance for the Dutch.
Netherlands cannot break down the Italian pack, and the ball rolls out of play for a goal kick. That's it surely.
YELLOW CARD Sansone goes into the book for being a nuisance.
The keeper is up for Netherlands, this really is the last chance.
CHANCE! The ball bounces like a pinball machine in the box, before Depay hits the side-netting.
FULL TIME: Italy 1-0 Netherlands
That's it, Italy are in the final. They were the poorer outfit in the first half, but Italy came back and tightened up in the second. They stopped the Netherlands threat and took their chance, thanks to Liverpool's Borini.
So, it will be Spain vs. Italy in the final of the competition on Tuesday in Jerusalem; a repeat of the senior competition last year.
That's it from me, congratulations to Italy, good night.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
Spain U21s
