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England and France Need Shootouts to Advance

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From Associated Press

England and France reached the semifinals of the European Championship by winning on penalty shootouts Saturday after each game went 120 minutes without a goal being scored.

England beat Spain, 4-2, and France defeated the Netherlands, 5-4.

Although the teams missed chances in 90 minutes of regulation play, the game went to extra time and even the new concept of “Golden Goals,” introduced as the first score in extra time to decide the winner, failed to break the deadlocks.

At Wembley Stadium, England’s Alan Shearer, David Platt, David Pearce and Paul Gascoigne scored in the shootout and Guillermo Amor, Alberto Belsue scored penalties for Spain.

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In Wednesday’s semifinal at Wembley, England will play the winner of today’s quarterfinal between Germany and Croatia at Old Trafford.

Zinedine Zidane, Youri Djorkaeff, Bixente Lizarazu, Vincent Guerin and Laurent Blanc scored for France in the shootout.

Johan de Kock, Ronald de Boer, Patrick Kluivert and Danny Blind scored for the Dutch.

The French will meet the winner of today’s quarterfinal between Portugal and the Czech Republic.

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