The showdown of the Euro 2024 quarter-final ended in England’s favour against Switzerland, with England securing their semi-final position after a tie-breaker penalty shootout. The penalty miss by Manuel Akanji of Manchester City turned out to be the tipping point in the contest.
Despite a static game, marked by Gareth Southgate’s continued resistance to altering strategy or personnel, the Swiss team nearly stunned with a goal from Breel Embolo in the latter half. With just a quarter hour left in play, the Monaco striker tapped in a deflected pass, surpassing England keeper, Jordan Pickford.
However, Bukayo Saka delivered a ray of hope for England just five minutes thereafter. Jinking in from the right wing, he struck a long-range shot that hit the net.
The game moved into overtime where, despite Switzerland creating several promising opportunities, Pickford demonstrated his skills with multiple saves, maintaining parity until the end of 120 minutes.
Both England and Switzerland have historically struggled with penalties. However, it was England’s superior precision that took the day, with all English players successfully converting their penalties. Schar, Shaqiri, and Amdouni too scored following Akanji’s initial miss. Nonetheless, England’s flawless penalty record made it a mere consolation.
The victorious English team, lead by Southgate, is now set to face off against either Netherlands or Turkey in Dortmund for the semi-final fixture.
Keep an eye out for more updates.