Euro24 : England ride on Saka brilliance to beat stubborn Switzerland in tiebreaker

  

Jude Bellingham made a last-minute save in the pre-quarterfinals, while Bukayo Saka saved England in the quarterfinals. After conceding another goal, England managed to equalize within 90 minutes, pushing the game into overtime. Switzerland proved to be a formidable opponent. Ultimately, the match was decided in a penalty shootout, with England emerging victorious and reaching the Euro Cup semifinals. England's goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, became the hero of the tiebreaker.

England had not been in great form throughout the current Euro tournament. They struggled to create chances in any match, starting from the group stage. Switzerland capitalized on this weakness, implementing a balanced defence and attack strategy. The first half saw sluggish play, with Switzerland displaying more intent to score. However, all their attacks were thwarted near England's box. Neither team managed to score in the first 45 minutes, heading into the break with a goalless draw.

Switzerland played more aggressively in the second half. England's goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, saved Conor's shot at the 51-minute mark. Brill Mbolo, Granit Xhaka, and Ruben Vargas were creating opportunities, while Harry Kane was conspicuously absent on the other side. It was evident that the England captain was not fully fit, as he was easily dispossessed by opposing players and frequently fell to draw fouls. Bellingham, the hero of the previous match, appeared lacklustre. Bukayo Saka was the only bright spot for England.

Switzerland took the lead with a goal in the 75th minute. A cross from the right found Mbolo after John Stones failed to intercept it. Mbolo outmaneuvered Kyle Walker and scored, leaving Pickford with no chance.

In response, England coach Gareth Southgate made three substitutions, which slightly improved the team's play. England ramped up their attack, and their efforts paid off. Saka levelled the score in the 80th minute with a brilliant left-footed shot from outside the box, taking advantage of a lapse in Switzerland's defence and a static goalkeeper, Ian Sommer.

Neither team could score again in regulation time, leading to extra time. Declan Rice unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from outside the box in the 94th minute, but Sommer made a crucial save. England created more chances in the first half of extra time but failed to score.

Southgate substituted the exhausted Kane in the second half of extra time. Both teams played cautiously, aware that conceding a goal at this stage would be disastrous. As the game edged towards a penalty shootout, Xherdan Shaqiri almost scored directly from a corner in the 116th minute, but his shot hit the bar. Switzerland had two more opportunities in the final minutes but couldn't convert, sending the game to a tiebreaker.

In the penalty shootout, Pickford emerged as the hero, saving Manuel Akanji's weak shot. All five English players scored their penalties, while Sommer failed to stop any. England won the tiebreaker 5-3, securing their place in the semifinals.