Euro 2024: England fight back yet again

England 1 - 1 Switzerland

England win 5-3 on penalties

Trent Alexander-Arnold fired home the winning penalty after Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Ivan Toney had all kept their composure. 

Jordan Pickford had previously set the tone by saving Switzerland's first penalty from Akanji, securing a tense shoot-out victory.

England, who will now face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday, had been at risk of a premature exit from the tournament in normal time. Breel Embolo had put Switzerland ahead in the 75th minute, sneaking past Kyle Walker to tap in Dan Ndoye's deflected cross from close range.

Saka equalised shortly afterwards with a superb curling finish in off the post from outside the box, marking England's first shot on target. Gareth Southgate's side struggled during extra-time, enduring nerve-wracking moments as Xherdan Shaqiri hit the woodwork directly from a corner and Zeki Amdouni's shot was parried.

The Three Lions find a way again

England have reached this stage somewhat under the radar. Southgate got to celebrate a win in his 100th game in charge, but only after a gruelling 120 minutes and a tense period when it seemed like England might be knocked out.

While England's performances in Germany have not been outstanding, their resilience and ability to overcome adversity are unquestionable, as demonstrated once more after Switzerland took the lead.

For Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, scoring the decisive penalty was particularly sweet. He had been dropped from his experimental midfield role after the second game against Denmark and was overlooked when Southgate opted for wing-backs.

England’s new three-at-the-back formation seemed to suit the players better, but against a well-organised and confident Swiss side, it lacked attacking threat just as much as Southgate’s previous strategies.

As with Bellingham’s late equaliser against Slovakia, Saka’s goal to keep England in the game was their first shot on target of the match.

In the end, England will be satisfied with the result, but they can’t continue to make life difficult for themselves and expect to escape unscathed every time.

Saka’s goal was a fitting reward for his man-of-the-match performance, while Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa was impeccable in defence, filling in for the suspended Marc Guehi. Kobbie Mainoo also shone in midfield. They didn't always look amazing going forward but were certainly more cohesive at times. 

Until Wednesday, England can celebrate their nerve-wracking survival at Euro 2024 as Southgate leads them into the last four of a major tournament once again.

The best reaction

Manchester United's Luke Shaw played his first minutes of competitive football since February. This is how he responded after the match.

Back and ready to go! pic.twitter.com/Zdd6iBuk5i

— Luke Shaw (@LukeShaw23) July 6, 2024

Liam, a Manchester United fan, gave his thoughts: "That was a difficult match and the type of game that we would have lost previously. Well done Southgate for inspiring the team to get over the line."

European Super Football owner Thomas Jones posted his reaction on his LinkedIn profile. He seemed happy with the performance and seems to think they can go all the way. Thomas said: "Spain need to watch out. England are coming into form just at the right time."

   

Visit Euro 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) for more updates from Germany as the tournament comes to a close.