Nigerian-British Arsenal FC Star Boy, Bukayo Saka, showed why he is a world class player as he in one of his many moments of individual brilliance crafted a goal of monumental value to bring parity between England and Switzerland after the latter had surged ahead with a goal by Breel Embolo.
England was on the brink of exit from the Euro when Saka typically switched the ball from right to left as he shoved aside three Swiss players and created space for himself to riffle the ball into the Swiss net leaving goalkeeper Yann Sommer stranded for the equalizer. Saka who was voted Man of the Match, worthily, thus dragged the quarter final match into extra time and then penalties.
It was Gareth Southgate’s 100th match in charge of England which reached a third major semi-final under his stewardship.
After four unconvincing displays, Southgate finally mixed things up by altering England’s shape, matching Switzerland’s five-at-the-back system. And while the Three Lions continued to struggle to create chances, they were certainly able to assert a greater level of control on the contest after a nervy opening 10 minutes. Supporters in Düsseldorf remained frustrated however as neither outfit were able to register a single shot on target before the break, although Kobbie Mainoo was only denied on the stroke of HT by a brilliant last-ditch block from Granit Xhaka.
Switzerland began to display the kind of attacking prowess that had seen them power past Italy following the restart, with Breel Embolo twice threatening to break the deadlock from close range, though both his efforts were tame and straightforward for Jordan Pickford. The Red Crosses were certainly improving as England began to sit deeper and deeper in their own half, as they’ve so often been accused of under Southgate in major tournaments.
Once more, that pessimism came back to haunt them, as Switzerland broke the deadlock through Embolo with a quarter-hour remaining, tapping in from point-blank range at the back post after Dan Ndoye’s cross had been deflected into his path by John Stones. Southgate now had no choice but to ring the changes from the bench, but it was one of his starters who got him out of jail as Bukayo Saka cut in from the right and beautifully curled an effort into the far corner via the post, restoring parity with 10 minutes of regulation time remaining.
England were now armed with the momentum, but failed to find a way through before 90 minutes were up, consigning them to extra-time for a second consecutive game. This time there’d be no strike to immediately snatch the lead as Harry Kane had managed against Slovakia, but Declan Rice came close to a spectacular goal just five minutes into the extra half-hour as his long-range effort was tipped round the post by Yann Sommer. Long-standing Switzerland talisman Xherdan Shaqiri emerged from the bench soon afterwards, and the 32-year-old came inches away from a stunning winner when he hit the woodwork directly from a corner.
Zeki Amdouni and Silvan Widmer also came close to sending their country into the semi-finals, but England held firm to take the game to a penalty shootout. In front of the Three Lions faithful, Cole Palmer got his team off to the perfect start by confidently dispatching his spot-kick, before Pickford backed him up by saving from Manuel Akanji. England were ultimately flawless from the spot, with Trent Alexander-Arnold converting the decisive penalty to send his country to the semi-finals in Dortmund on Wednesday.
Additional report from Flashscore
