"What my team accomplished today was great"

Löw: "It was a dramatic game until the end" 

18 players took penalties during last night’s shootout. Eventually Köln’s Jonas Hector converted to put Die Mannschaft into the EURO 2016 semis, as well as wrapping up a first ever victory over Italy at a major tournament. Germany coach Joachim Löw watched the drama unfold from the sidelines and after the game he offered his thoughts on the match.

Question: Mr. Löw, have you ever experienced such a dramatic game?

Joachim Löw: It was a dramatic game until the end. It was a similar match to our victory over Argentina in 2006. Tactically the game was played at a very high standard from both sides. What my team accomplished today with their fighting attitude was great.

Question: Your team seemed to be in control after taking the 1-0 lead.

Löw: We had advantages on the pitch. The penalty against us resulted from an unfortunate situation. I never thought that Italy would be able to score a goal from open play.

Question: How did you experience the penalty shootout and where did you go afterwards?

Löw: There isn't much for me to do during a penalty shootout. I went into the changing room after the game. I just needed some space after 120 very hectic minutes.

Question: Why did you change your defensive formation to a back three?

Löw: I know that these decisions get discussed a lot but it was highly necessary to apply a change. Italy is a different team compared with Slovakia. They always play from the wings into the centre. It's predictable, effective but predictable. That's why we had to make a change and close down central areas. That was my first thought after watching the game between Italy and Spain.

Question: How was the order of takers decided before the penalty shootout?

Löw: Mesut [Özil] immediately said that he wanted to take one, so did Müller and Draxler. Our first five takers were decided quite quickly. After that you have to let the players decide amongst themselves. Usually we have many good penalty takers, although some missed their attempts today. I enjoyed seeing youngsters such as Kimmich and Hector step up onto a stage like this and keep their nerves.

Question: What is the situation with the injuries of Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez?

Löw: Having to make a change 15 minutes into a game like this is clearly not what you want. Sami had problems with his groin and wasn't able to sprint anymore. I don't know if he will be available on Thursday. Gomez also has muscular problems but he detected the issue quite early on. We’ll have to see how it goes.

Löw: "There isn't much for me to do during a penalty shootout"

Question: How did you see Bastian Schweinsteiger's performance, who came on quite early after Khedira's injury?

Löw: It was clear that we would need his service at some point in this tournament. He worked hard to get himself into the match. It wasn't easy for him, as it was his first lengthy appearance in a long time. But it was important to have such an experienced player on the pitch.

Question: Was this victory a big step towards the title?

Löw: If you've reached the semi-final you obviously want to play the final as well. The players will have to regenerate now but we definitely want more. 

CREDIT TO:http://www.dfb.de/en/news/detail/loew-what-my-team-accomplished-today-was-great-149408/