A packed Signal Iduna Park welcomes both sets of players to the pitch as they look to book a place in Sunday's final

Germany striker Lukas Podolski gets the game under way and wins an early free-kick after tangling with Gennaro Gattuso

Midfield stars Michael Ballack and Francesco Totti fight for possession in what will be one of the key battles of the night

Podolski threatens to break the deadlock on 12 minutes but sees his shot from 18 yards blocked by Fabio Cannavaro

With both teams creating a number of chances, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann finds himself in the thick of the action

Luca Toni strains to meet Andrea Pirlo's free-kick but fails as he attempts to net his third goal of the tournament

Just after the half-hour mark, Miroslav Klose provides a great chance for Bernd Schneider but his shot goes inches over

The first yellow card of the night goes the way of Germany's Tim Borowski after he crudely upends Totti

Shortly before the interval Mauro Camoranesi almost scores, but his header fails to test Lehmann as the half ends goalless

Italy start the second half but it is Germany who have the first shot with Sebastian Kehl flashing wide

Klose goes on a mazy run through Italy's defence only to see Gianluigi Buffon charge out and make a brave last-ditch save

It is then the turn of Lehmann to save again, robbing Fabio Grosso as the linesman flags for offside

With 20 minutes to go, Jurgen Klinsmann replaces Borowski with Bastian Schweinsteiger in his hunt for a goal

Podolski earns a free-kick after tangling with Cannavaro but Ballack sends the ball well over from a good position

Five minutes remain when Simone Perotta is put through only to be flattened, legally, by Lehmann who takes no chances

No goals are scored so 30 minutes of extra-time ensue - substitute Alberto Gilardino hits the post almost immediately

Minutes later Italy go close again when Gianluca Zambrotta meets a corner and lashes a shot on to the crossbar

Buffon makes a brilliant save from Podolski before the ball finds its way to Grosso at a corner and he bends it home

With Germany reeling, substitute Alessandro Del Piero scores a second right at the death to book Italy's place in the final

It is a night of disappointment for Ballack, Klinsmann and the whole of Germany as their World Cup dreams come to an end