Hector had ´heart in mouth´ before winning penalty

Jonas Hector said he had his heart in his mouth before becoming Germany’s hero by booking the nation’s spot in the Euro 2016 semi-finals with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Italy.

After Leonardo Bonucci had cancelled out Mesut Ozil’s opener in regulation time, an extra 30 minutes were needed in Bordeaux, but neither side could break the 1-1 deadlock. 

With the shoot-out stuck at 5-5 after seven players had failed to find the net, Hector stood up to convert the winning spot-kick, beating Gianluigi Buffon to send Germany into the last four. 

“I knew I had to take one at some point and I had my heart in my mouth,” the 26-year-old Cologne defender said. 

“It’s hard to put it into words, but I am overjoyed that it went in. There weren’t many people left to kick.

HECTOR  #JederFuerJeden #EURO2016 #GERITA 7-6 pic.twitter.com/uHDB7JKE0w

— Die Mannschaft (@DFB_Team) July 2, 2016

“We’re happy to have gone a round further, it was really stressful and of course luck played its part.”

Germany will face either hosts France or Iceland for a spot in the final.