Italy striker Luca Toni broke his barren spell with two strikes in the 3-0 quarterfinal win over Ukraine on Friday, refinding his scoring touch just in time for the last four clash with hosts Germany.
The Fiorentina forward hit 31 goals in Serie A last season making him the first man to break the 30 goal barrier in over 40 years but had failed to score in Italy' s last six matches.
"I'm delighted with the goals," said Toni after scoring twice after the break as Italy coasted past the Ukrainians.
"I really needed to get on the scoresheet. I was just about the only striker in the team who hadn't scored yet," he said.
Italy's nine goals at the World Cup finals have come from eight different players.
"The first goal was one of the most important goals of my career. You don't get many chances to score at a World Cup and you never know whether you'll be competing at the next one," he said.
Italy coach Marcello Lippi said he had never doubted that Toni, who he left out of the side in the final group game against the Czech Republic, would find the net at the World Cup.
"He's scored so many goals in the past three seasons that there was simply no way he wasn't going to get on target at this tournament," said the Italy coach.
"I'm really very pleased for him and he deserved it. I told him before the game you are going to get one and then the others will come once you have broken through," added Lippi.
Former Italy forward Gigi Riva, who is the Azzurri's team manager at the World Cup, said he had always had faith in Toni's capacity to get back on the scoring sheet.
"I know what Toni's been through. It's hard when a striker doesn't score and he comes in for criticism but I was never worried about him," said Riva.
"He was always creating chances, and working hard for the others. I only get worried when a striker doesn't get any shots in. I'm just delighted he's coming into form at this vital stage of the tournament," he added.
Toni said he was relishing the prospect of Tuesday's semifinal in Dortmund against Germany.
"We're both strong teams. Germany have got a lot of momentum behind them and they are playing at home which is an advantage. But we're very hard to beat. I'm looking forward to it."
If Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro keeps playing this well, he could be making his 100th international appearance in the most special game of all.
Cannavaro made his 98th appearance Friday with a typically rugged and gifted defensive display to help Italy beat Ukraine.
If Italy keep on winning, he would win his 100th cap in the July 9 final.
Playing almost as an old-fashioned sweeper, Cannavaro's anticipation and vision made lauded Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko look sluggish.
Ukraine's other striker, Artem Milevskiy is 15 centimetres taller than Cannavaro but was still out-jumped by the Juventus player.
Cannavaro is such a defender that he has only scored once since making his debut in 1997. He has been captain since the 2002 World Cup and, at 32, is unlikely to be playing at the next tournament.
Cannavaro spent most of Friday's game shadowing Shevchenko, who he has faced off against many times in Serie A during a career that has included spells with Napoli, Parma, Inter and Juve.
Shevchenko signed for Chelsea earlier this month after seven years at AC Milan.
Short and squat in a position dominated by the tallest players on the field, Cannavaro was even looking for a goal against Ukraine, jogging into the opposition penalty area at set pieces to try his luck.
His lack of height paid dividends in Italy's second goal.
Unmarked from a corner, Cannavaro couldn't reach the ball and the 19-centimetre taller Luca Toni headed in from behind him with ease.
