Germany Vs. Italy, Euro 2012 Semifinals: Germany Response Muted

Germany need to reply against Italy thanks to the first goal this tournament has seen in more than four hours of football. How will they do it? Mesut Ozil seems like a good enough choice there, but he's not going to get many doing things like that - a low shot from outside the area fails to really trouble Gianluigi Buffon, although for the third time so far in this young match the Juventus keeper doesn't catch cleanly.

Minutes later Toni Kroos nearly manages to play Germany back into the game while trying to play a one-two with Ozil. Instead of reaching the star creator, however, the ball nicks off an Italian knee and squirms into Mario Gomez's path. The centre forward isn't expecting the ball, however, and his late lunge can't recover possession. If he'd got to that, he'd have been one on one with Buffon 18 yards out. We're half an hour in, and it's Italy 1-0 Germany.