Hector had 'heart in mouth' before winning penalty

"I knew I had to take one at some point and I had my heart in my mouth," Jonas Hector, the Germany defender said after his side's thrilling win via penalty shootout against Italy in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals.

Jonas Hector..."It's hard to put it into words, but I am overjoyed that [the spot kick] went in."

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 semifinals with a dramatic penalty shootout 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. 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.