Jesus Navas scored the decisive penalty as World Cup holder Spain beat Italy 7-6 in a shootout Thursday after extra time ended 0-0, setting up a showdown with host Brazil in the Confederations Cup final.
Nobody missed in the shootout until Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci shot high to give Navas an attempt at the winner and the Seville midfielder cooly beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to send Spain to another major final.
In draining heat and humidity, each side hit the woodwork in extra time. Emanuele Giaccherini smashed a shot off the post in the 93rd minute and Buffon deflected a shot from Xavi Hernandez off the post in the 115th.
Italy will face Uruguay in the third-place match in Salvador, also Sunday.
In a rematch of the Euro 2012 final, which Spain won 4-0, Italy threatened early on even without the injured Mario Balotelli, relying on counterattacks, while Spain relied on its usual game of short passes and ball possession.
The roles reversed in the second half but it wasn’t until extra time that each side produced some of the match’s best chances.
When English referee Howard Webb whistled the end of extra time in the 120th minute, the crowd inside the Castelao Stadium cheered loudly, applauding two classy teams.
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