England progressed to the EURO 2024 semi-finals after a penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in a high-stake quarter-final clash at the Dusseldorf Arena on Saturday, July 6th.
The match ended 1-1 in regular time, and Gareth Southgate’s side emerged triumphant 5-3 in the ensuing shootout, thanks to the heroics of Jordan Pickford and a composed strike from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Three years after their heartbreak on penalties at Euro 2020, England confronted their demons with a mix of grit and composure.
It was a night of redemption, particularly for Bukayo Saka, who buried the ghost of his previous penalty miss by scoring England’s equaliser, and then scoring a penalty in the shootouts.
After Breel Embolo had put Switzerland ahead with a close-range effort following a John Stones deflection, Saka responded just five minutes later.
His left-footed signature shot from the edge of the box found the net off the inside of the far post, igniting celebrations among the England faithful.
In this particular match, England had switched to a back-three of Ezri Konsa, John Stones, and Kyle Walker to counter Switzerland’s setup of three fowards.
Both teams struggled to create clear chances in the first half, though Kobbie Mainoo came closest, but was denied by a last-ditch block from Granit Xhaka.
Switzerland found their rhythm after the break, with Embolo posing a constant threat to Pickford’s goal, and as England sat deeper, they invited pressure, leading to Embolo’s breakthrough in the 75th minute.
Southgate, in his 100th match in charge, responded with tactical changes, introducing Eze, Luke Shaw and Cole Palmer who ultimately helped swing momentum back towards England, and Saka equalised just five minutes later.
Extra time saw moments of high drama. Declan Rice’s long-range strike was superbly tipped wide by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer, while Xherdan Shaqiri nearly stole the show with a corner that struck the crossbar.
England survived a flurry of Swiss chances, with Pickford making crucial saves, including a late effort from Zeki Amdouni.
The match then headed to penalties, where Cole Palmer confidently converted England’s first spot-kick. Pickford then saved Manuel Akanji’s penalty, giving England the edge.
A flawless series of penalties followed, capped by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decisive strike, sparking scenes of joy and relief among the England supporters.
With the victory over stubborn Swiss side sealed, England will now prepare for a semi-final showdown in Dortmund against the Netherlands on Wednesday July 10th at 10pm.
The Three Lions, despite underwhelming performances throughout the EURO 2024 tournament thus far, continue their quest to capture the continental crown that eluded them in 2021.
