England’s quest for a first major tournament win in 58 years remained alive after another late fightback before beating Switzerland 5-3 on penalties to book their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
After the 120 minutes finished level at 1-1, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was the Three Lions’ hero in the shoot-out as he saved Switzerland’s first spot-kick from Manuel Akanji.
Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold converted their penalties to send England into a semi-final meeting with Turkey or the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday.
After needing Bellingham’s 95th-minute equaliser before going on to beat Slovakia in extra time in the last 16, England were again staring at defeat with 10 minutes to go.
A dreary encounter for the first 75 minutes came to life after Breel Embolo put Switzerland in front.
Saka’s fine strike from outside the box levelled with England’s first shot on target five minutes later.
Manchester City defender Akanji was then the unfortunate penalty villain as Switzerland’s horrible record in major tournament quarter-finals goes on.
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The game continued at the same laboured pace from both sides into the second half.
Embolo finally managed the first shot on goal when his weak effort was easily handled by Jordan Pickford.
Southgate has been repeatedly criticized for being too slow to influence games with his substitutions.
Despite having one of the most richly-talented squads at the tournament, it took until they fell behind for Southgate to shake things up.
England looked headed for a meek exit when Embolo pounced at the far post to turn in Dan Ndoye’s deflected cross at the back post.
Southgate reacted immediately with Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Luke Shaw, making his first appearance since February, sent on.
Within five minutes England were level as Saka cut inside and fired low and hard in off the far post.
Switzerland were indebted to a brilliant save from Yann Sommer to deny Declan Rice a second for England early in extra time.
Harry Kane was then forced off injured after a nasty fall into the England dugout.
And it was Switzerland who came closest in the second half of extra time as Xherdan Shaqiri’s corner came back off the woodwork before Pickford parried Zeki Amdouni’s powerful strike from distance.
England won only one of five previous penalty shoot-outs at the Euros, including defeat by Italy in the final three years ago.
But they were perfect from the spot as Saka erased some of the pain from his decisive miss in the Euro 2020 final.
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