Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Everton’s Jordan Pickford came through when it mattered most at Euro 2024 as England came from a goal down to edge past Switzerland 5-3 on penalties after both sides played out a pulsating 1-1 draw over 120 minutes of football in Düsseldorf.
In a close battle at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, Breel Embolo put the Swiss ahead with 15 minutes left on the clock after the striker got in front of Kyle Walker to guide Dan Ndoye’s deflected cross into the England penalty area.
But Switzerland’s lead lasted only for five minutes thanks to Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal attacker, playing as a wingback in the game, received the ball from club mate Declan Rice and cut in from the right before sending a curling shot in off the post and an outstretched Yann Sommer.
Switzerland could have won the game in stoppage time, only for Embolo and Ndoye to somehow fumble a cross in by Fabian Schar in the 92nd minute and see the game go into the extra time – ensuring all the quarter-final games so far at the Euros have gone to the extra 30 minute period.
Both teams created chances to win it but again, the Swiss came closest to getting the winning goal in the 118th minute when substitute Xherdan Shaqiri almost caught Pickford off his line with an audacious corner kick that hit the upright and crossbar instead of going in.
Pickford would be in better composure for the ensuing shootout, saving Switzerland’s first spot kick by Manuel Akanji, while all five of his team-mates on penalty duties scored their spot kicks to win it 5-3 and send the Three Lions to the last four alongside France and Spain.
England will now await the winner of the last quarter-final match of Euro 2024 between Netherlands and Turkey to know what team they must overcome to reach a successive European Championship final.