Match Report | ENGLAND vs SWITZERLAND | 5-3 on penalties

Match Report | ENGLAND vs SWITZERLAND | EGL win 5-3 on penalties

The Düsseldorf air crackled with tension as England, eager to end their 58-year trophy drought, faced a resurgent Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. Gareth Southgate’s bold back-three formation mirrored the anxiety in the stands, but the Three Lions roared out of the gate. Foden weaved through the Swiss defense like a phantom, his shot cannoning off the crossbar. The rebound fell to Kane, but Sommer, the immovable object in goal, palmed it away spectacularly.

Switzerland, emboldened by England’s near miss, responded with a vengeance. Embolo, a runaway freight train, bulldozed through Stones, unleashing a rocket that Pickford clawed out with a gasp-inducing one-handed save. The stadium pulsed with a frenetic rhythm, each tackle a thunderclap, every shot a lightning strike. The first half ended scoreless, a cagey affair that left fans on the edge of their seats.

The second half mirrored the first—a tense tactical battle with moments of breathtaking brilliance. Bellingham, a tireless engine in midfield, danced past two Swiss defenders before unleashing a curler that Sommer acrobatically tipped over. The tension was at a fever pitch. Then, disaster struck. A lapse in concentration at the back, a misplaced pass, and Vargas capitalized with a clinical finish, sending the pocket of Swiss fans into delirium. England, stunned but unbowed, threw everything at the equalizer.

The clock ticked down mercilessly. In the 89th minute, a glimmer of hope. Alexander-Arnold, a magician with the right foot, whipped in a cross that seemed to defy physics. Kane, a predator in the box, rose majestically, his bullet header arrowing into the top corner. The stadium erupted. Relief, ecstasy, and a renewed hunger for victory washed over the England fans. The final whistle blew, sending the game to penalties.

The penalty shootout was a heart-stopping affair. Each successful conversion was met with a deafening roar, each miss with a collective groan. After misses from both sides, it all came down to the final penalty. Sommer saved brilliantly from Maguire, leaving the fate of the nation on Alexander-Arnold’s young shoulders. With ice in his veins, the swashbuckling fullback stepped up, sent Sommer the wrong way, and calmly slotted the ball home. England erupted. Players, staff, and fans became a heaving mass of jubilation.