Live Blog
- Football
- Euro 2024
- England book semi-final place on penalties
- England equalise through Bukayo Saka's stunner
- Breel Embolo gives Switzerland lead in quarter-final
- Jack Johnson
England beat Switzerland on penalties to book their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
The Three Lions were perfect from the spot with Trent Alexander-Arnold smashing home the winning penalty.
England struggled again during normal time and went behind to Breel Embolo's opener.
But a brilliant goal from Bukayo Saka rescued Gareth Southgate before Manuel Akanji missed for Switzerland in the shootout.
England will now face Netherlands or Turkey in the semi-finals on Wednesday night.
Follow our live match blog below for all the reaction...
6th Jul 2024, 21:10By Jack Johnson
That's all from us...
And that's all for our live coverage of England's incredible penalty shootout win against Switzerland!
Bukayo Saka was the hero in normal time before Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winner from the spot!
A semi-final tie against either the Netherlands or Turkey now awaits Gareth Southgate's side at Euro 2024.
That clash will take place on Wednesday night at 8pm and it will be live on talkSPORT once again!
You can read some more reaction to this game below...
'Memorable' Saka gets 9/10 but Kane questioned in England player ratings vs SwitzerlandCopied
6th Jul 2024, 21:02By Jack Johnson
Brilliant Bukayo
The praise continues to roll in for Bukayo Saka!
Jude Bellingham told talkSPORT: “Bukayo won the Man of the Match as well, and it was fully deserved, but the thing I’m most proud of him about is the penalty, to be honest.
“It’s such a difficult thing to do, to go up and take one after the kind of adversity he faced.
"I’m so proud and really happy for him, he deserves it.”
England legend Stuart Pearce said post-match: “Let me tell you this, when I stood up and took a penalty six years after missing one that was irrelevantfor me, I didn't suffer social media like this young man did. He was brave enough to stand up again.
“And, listen, he was our best player! Let alone stepping up and scoring a penalty for us, he got the equalising goal and he was our best player tonight.
“It was a fantastic performance from that young man. Absolutely brilliant.”
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6th Jul 2024, 20:56By Jack Johnson
How things stands
So, this is what the Euro 2024 knockout stages look like...
England have secured their place in the semi-finals.
They'll take on the winner of Netherlands vs Turkey with the Turks leading 1-0 at the moment.
In the other semi-final, Spain will face France in a blockbuster!
One #EURO2024 semi-final place now remains... pic.twitter.com/BrSGPnx1Tf
— England (@England) July 6, 2024Copied
6th Jul 2024, 20:51By Jack Johnson
More from Bellingham
Jude Bellingham has also been speaking to the BBC and he has given his thoughts on England's dramatic win.
He said: "All in all it's probably our best performance of the tournament. We've very proud of the boys.
"The things you can't always measure and see is character and mentality and we showed that again in the shootout.
"For subs to come on and take a penalty in that pressure is a special, special thing."
"I do the [penalty] practice like all the other lads and I have my process. I rely on the practice I do.
"Sometimes you can step up and miss. I always think there's a comfort when you're following a process you've come to terms with."
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6th Jul 2024, 20:46By Jack Johnson
Turkey lead
We have an opener in the last quarter-final tie!
Turkey have taken the lead against the Netherlands!
Samet Akaydin has headed in at the back post and as things stand, his country will set up a semi-final clash with England!
The Three Lions will be watching on now to see who they will face...
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6th Jul 2024, 20:40By Jack Johnson
Thanks to a Chelsea legend
Jude Bellingham has given credit to Chelsea legend Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink for England's penalty success.
See AlsoRelive the final build-up as England seek Euro 2024 glorySpain vs England live updatesSpain beat England to win Euros reaction - Southgate future, Three Lions returnSweden Women 0-0 England Women: Lionesses struggle to create but reach Euro 2025 with goalless drawSpeaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Bellingham said: "It’s not the way we want to win, we want to go out there and steamroll teams, but it’s unrealistic at this level.
"You have to earn it and you have to show character like that at the end.
"Five out of five penalties rarely happens at this level, so I’m really proud of my teammates and the staff - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who’s been really diligent in getting everyone to practise properly.
"It pays off in the end so we’re grateful to all of them."
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6th Jul 2024, 20:33By Jack Johnson
Man of the Match
Bukayo Saka has been awarded Man of the Match for his late equaliser and penalty shootout goal.
The Arsenal winger was superb in Dusseldorf and gave his all, playing in at least three different positions tonight.
Speaking after the game, Saka said: “Obviously for myself, I believe we have some of the best takers in the Premier League and the world, if it did come to penalties we would be confident - we showed that today.
“For me, it is something I embrace - you can fail once and you have a choice if you are going to put yourself in that position again, I believed in myself and when the ball hit the net I was a very happy man
“I am not going to be focused on the past, that is done, I can only focus on now. I know there were a lot of nervous people watching, my family included, but I kept my cool.
“There are two more games, we can change our lives and make history - we are going to watch the game and see who we are facing.”
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6th Jul 2024, 20:29By Jack Johnson
Wimbledon scenes!
This is a brilliant video!
The news of England's penalty win came through at Wimbledon just as Novak Djokovic and Alexei Popyrin were about to start a rally!
Fans at Centre Court erupted and the tennis stars laughed as they immediately understood what it meant!
Centre Court erupts as the news that @England have won on penalties filters through 🏴#Wimbledon | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/OoKv7n1tVo
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2024Copied
6th Jul 2024, 20:25By Jack Johnson
'A dream to work with'
Gareth Southgate has piled the praise on England's saviour tonight, Bukayo Saka.
"He's a dream to work with," Southgate said. "He's a fabulous boy, such a good professional, so much fun to be around.
"He does an amazing job with and without the ball.
"They've all had to go in there and they're young players in extreme pressure situations.
"But we felt with the players we had on the pitch they were the best to take the penalties."
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6th Jul 2024, 20:20By Jack Johnson
Southgate's thoughts
Speaking to the BBC, Gareth Southgate has given his thoughts on England's penalty win in Dusseldorf.
He said: "I thought the players were brilliant, it is the best we have played.
"To come from behind and shown character and resilience we did... it isn't just about playing well.
"It was so brave from Bukayo, he is one of our best and we were never in question he would take one. But we all knew what he went through.
"Huge performance, huge result and we are still in it. We had to be tactically spot on.
"We are in a third semi-final and it says a lot about the whole group. I thought we had good control."
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6th Jul 2024, 20:15By Jack Johnson
'I felt comfortable'
England captain Harry Kane wasn't on the pitch for the penalties but he didn't have a doubt in his teammates at all!
Kane told the BBC: "Another tough game and first of all great resilience from the lads to turn it up again.
"To get the goal, a fantastic finish from Bukayo Saka. Penalties are penalties, but I felt prepared - I was on the side, but I felt comfortable in the lads.
"Five out of five and a save from Picks [Jordan Pickford]!
"We trust in whoever is on the pitch and the difference this year compared to past years is we have proven penalty takers – we have a lot more experience and we showed it out there."
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6th Jul 2024, 20:10By Jack Johnson
Perfect pens
For just the second time in their 10th shootout at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros), England scored every single one of their penalties in the shootout (5/5).
The Three Lions last did so against Spain at EURO 96 (4/4).
Unphased from the spot!
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6th Jul 2024, 20:06By Jack Johnson
Bottled it!
England bottled it in the shootout...
Because Jordan Pickford's water bottle had all the instructions for each Switzerland penalty taker!
If you look close enough, you can see his advice for Manuel Akanji's spot-kick...
"Manuel Akanji - Dive left"
And how did he save Akanji's penalty - by diving to his left!
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6th Jul 2024, 20:02By Jack Johnson
Saka's redemption
What a night for Bukayo Saka!
He missed a pivotal penalty at Euro 2020 but he's stepped up to score from the spot after saving England in normal time.
Speaking to the BBC, Saka said: "I am going to put it up there [as one of his best nights in footblal], special.
"How we fought back and to go to penalties. Last time we took at penalty shootout at the Euros we know what happened. I believed.
"I felt like we dominated the whole game and the chance would come and I took it - I am proud of myself for that."
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6th Jul 2024, 19:57By Jack Johnson
Words from the winner
Winning penalty scorer Trent Alexander-Arnold has been speaking to the BBC post-match.
He said: "Incredible, these are the goals that we set for ourselves.
"Difficult opponent going behind and the team showed a lot of character, belief, heart and spirit out there.
"We knew it was going to be tight. Whatever it takes and no matter what we win - that is all that matters to us."
"It is what we have practiced," he continued. "When the gaffer said I was taking one, I enjoy it and I practice it - I knew I had to just execute it.
"All five penalties from us were great."
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6th Jul 2024, 19:53By Jack Johnson
History makers
England have reached the UEFA EURO semi-finals in consecutive tournaments for the first time.
Since the group stage was introduced in 1980, the Three Lions had only got to that stage once before the appointment of Gareth Southgate.
Knockout stage specialists!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:51By Jack Johnson
Celebrating into the night
The England players have been bouncing along with the fans!
These celebrations will be going long into the night!
Look at Gareth Southgate conducting at the front!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:48By Jack Johnson
A special landmark
What a night for Gareth Southgate!
His 100th game in charge of England and a penalty win to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament again!
He'll never forget this and neither will the fans in the stadium!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:45By Jack Johnson
The winning moment!
Trent Alexander-Arnold sends England through!
What a moment!
A rollercoaster of emotions but the Three Lions have done it!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:43By Jack Johnson
England are through!
It's perfection from the spot!
England are into the semi-finals of Euro 2024!
The Three Lions fans are in delirium in the stadium and the players rush to celebrate with them!
Superb scenes!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:40By Jack Johnson
GOAL! England 1-1 (5-3) Switzerland
ENGLAND ARE THROUGH!
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD SENDS THE THREE LIONS THROUGH TO THE EURO 2024 SEMI-FINALS!
SUPERB FROM GARETH SOUTHGATE'S MEN!
FLAWLESS FROM THE SPOT!
ON REPEAT! 🔁pic.twitter.com/6o4WA5zcVF
— England (@England) July 6, 2024Copied
6th Jul 2024, 19:39By Jack Johnson
GOAL! England 1-1 (4-3) Switzerland
Zeki Amdouni scores!
England need to score this penalty to win...
Trent Alexander-Arnold is stepping up!
Copied
6th Jul 2024, 19:38By Jack Johnson
GOAL! England 1-1 (4-2) Switzerland
IVAN TONEY SCORES FROM THE SPOT!
ENGLAND ARE ONE AWAY!
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6th Jul 2024, 19:37By Jack Johnson
GOAL! England 1-1 (3-2) Switzerland
Xherdan Shaqiri scores for Switzerland!
Jordan Pickford is inches away from saving it!
Ivan Toney is up next, his penalty record speaks for itself...
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6th Jul 2024, 19:36By Jack Johnson
GOAL! England 1-1 (3-1) Switzerland
AND BUKAYO SAKA SCORES!
HE PUTS MEMORIES OF EUOR 2020 BEHIND HIM!
THE WINGER TUCKS IT INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER!
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Topics
- Euro 2024
- England Football
- Switzerland football team
- Gareth Southgate
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