Euro 2024: England Beat Switzerland On Penalties To Reach Semi Final
By: Gyang Dakwo
England reached the Euro 2024 semifinal when Trent Alexander-Arnold slammed home the decisive penalty to give them an emotional shootout victory over Switzerland after the teams had drawn 1-1 in a tense quarterfinal on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold came on as a late extra-time substitute to take the glory after Jordan Pickford had saved from Manuel Akanji.
It was the third successive Euro 2024 quarter-final to go to extra time, with two of them decided by penalties.
Breel Embolo had put Switzerland ahead after 75 minutes, with Bukayo Saka levelling five minutes later in a game of few chances.
Saka, who missed in England’s Euro 2020 final shootout defeat by Italy, stood up again on Saturday and converted confidently in front of a wall of England fans.
“He is so brave, he’s one of our best so we were never in any question that he was going to take one,” coach Gareth Southgate said of the midfielder.
Saka said: “To come back from something like that was really difficult. I used that to make me stronger. Today I took the chance and I’m happy.
“Hopefully next game we can win in the 90 minutes but if this is what it takes, we’ll do anything.”
That next game is Wednesday’s semifinal in Dortmund against either Netherlands or Turkey.
