The repeat of the 2006 World Cup Final saw Italy and France, who both qualified form the same group edging out Scotland, fighting to stay in the competition knowing a win would not be enough if Romania beat Holland in the simultaneous group fixture.
As it was, the Dutch, even with 9 players rested, eased past a disappointing and ultra-cautious Romania 2-0 even with 2nd half strikes by Huntelaar and Van Persie. The Italians also found it rather too easy to repeat that scoreline against the worst French side seen for many years and who look in need of a drastic rebuild.
With the point shared between them in their dull opening clash being their only return of the finals, the French and Romanians head home while Italy and Holland march on although the Azzuri will have do make do without the suspended Gatuso and Perlo in their quarter-final.
The Italy v France contest was virtually over in the first 25 minutes as France lost their star man Franck Ribery to injury very early and then went one behind to a Perlo penalty and had Abidal sent off for bringing down Toni in thhe move that produced the spot-kick.
The French should have been out if sight by the interval but Toni somehow missed a literal hatful of chances with 6 clear sights of goal each failing to hit the target while Grosso hit the postt from a free-kick.
It got little better for France after the interval as Buffon has only one save of note to make all night as Thierry Henry, now a shadow of the player he was, rarely influential and it was ironic that Italy's clinching goal just past the hour was cruelly deflected in off Henry's boot after De Rossi's highly speculative 30 yard free-kick was heading wide.
Italy will face Spain in a tough quarter-final while Sweden and Russia effectively face off tomorrow for the dubious honour of taking on the unstoppable looking Dutch in the last 8.
Video highlights of all Euro'2008 games including the above matches can be found here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/schedule_and_statistics/default.stm
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