Fair play to Italy doing the business tonight. A brilliant game.
As regards replacing penalty shoot-outs, they did try the Golden Goal, or next goal the winner, in the Under- 16 European Championship many years ago, Damien Duff of Ireland being the only player to score one and win the competition for Ireland. I imagine it was scrapped because the whole game is run to suit TV schedules these days and it is easier to calculate how long a penalty shoot-out will take.
Ireland suffered the same fate as England, being told to play to an out-of-date 4 4 2 system. Many players from both countries can pass the ball, but if they don't do what the Manager tells them, they don't get selected.
I take Italy to go all the way at this stage. They have improved with every game whereas Spain seem to be dis- improving. Italy will go at them like Portugal did except they will do it better.