ITALY claimed the European Championship for the first time since 1968 as penalties came back to haunt England at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Gianluigi Donnarumma saving twice as the Azzurri won a 3-2 shootout after the game finished 1-1 following extra time.

The Italian goalkeeper saved from Jadon Sancho and, decisively, Bukayo Saka after Marcus Rashford hit the post, as Federico Bernardeschi, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Berardi all scored for the Italians in the shootout.

Luke Shaw had given England a dream start with a superb goal after two minutes, but Italy gradually took command and deservedly leveled through Bonucci after 67 minutes.

For England coach Gareth Southgate, who missed from the spot when England lost in the Euro 1996 semifinal to Germany, it was another shootout horror show. “The penalty takers are my call,” said Southgate.

It was less than four years ago that Italy plunged to the lowest moment of its soccer history by failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades. Now, the side is the best team in Europe and on a national-record 34-match unbeaten run under Roberto Mancini, their suave coach who has won an international trophy in his first attempt to add to the country’s other European title — in 1968 — and its four World Cups.

“It was impossible even to just consider this at one stage,” Mancini said, “but the guys were just amazing. I have no words for them.”

For England, it’s the latest heartache in shootouts at major tournaments, after defeats in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2012. England ended that losing streak by beating Colombia on penalties in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, but the pain has quickly returned.

England’s first major final in 55 years had all started so well, too, with Luke Shaw scoring the fastest goal in a European Championship final by meeting a cross from opposite wing back Kieran Trippier with a half-volley that went in off the post in the second minute.

It was Shaw’s first goal for England and it prompted a fist-pump between David Beckham and Tom Cruise in the VIP box amid an explosion of joy around Wembley, which had at least 67,000 fans inside. Maybe more, given dozens of ticketless England fans managed to barge their way past stewards and police and into the stadium in unsettling scenes before kickoff.

That was the only time Italy’s famously robust defense was really opened up in the entire 120 minutes.

Indeed, after Shaw’s goal, England barely saw the ball for the rest of the game.

Italy’s midfielders dominated possession, as widely predicted before the match, and England simply resorted to dropping deep and getting nine or even all 10 outfield players behind the ball. It was reminiscent of the 2018 World Cup semifinals, when England also scored early against Croatia then spent most of the game chasing its opponent’s midfield before losing in extra time.

Italy’s equalizer was merited and Bonucci was the unlikely scorer. He put the ball in from close range after a right-wing corner was flicked on to Marco Verratti, whose stooping header was tipped onto the post by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England managed to hold on for extra time and actually had the better of the final stages.

Meanwhile, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Boot for the most number of goals scored in Euro 2020. Though Ronaldo and the Czech Republic’s Patrick Schick were tied with five goals apiece, the Juventus star won the award as he had an assist to his credit.

(SD-Agencies)