DUESSELDORF, Germany: Three years on from losing the European Championship final on penalties, England beat Switzerland in a shootout to reach the semifinals of Euro 2024.
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winner as England swept all of their penalties to win the shootout 5-3 after a 1-1 draw in extra time on Saturday.
England converted their first four penalties and Alexander-Arnold won the game with the fifth, blasting his shot into the top corner. Another who scored was Bukayo Saka, who missed the last penalty kick of the final shootout in 2021.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford earlier saved from Manuel Akanji, who took Switzerland’s first penalty kick.
England go on to play Turkiye or the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday for a spot in the final.
Switzerland, which have never reached the semifinals of a major tournament, exit the European Championship on penalties in the quarterfinals for the second time running after defeat to Spain three years ago.
It was the second game in a row that England left it late to win, after beating Slovakia 2-1 in extra time in the last 16.
The quarterfinal went to extra time after England forward Saka scored with a shot off the post in the 80th minute to cancel out Breel Embolo’s goal five minutes earlier for Switzerland.
The Swiss had the better chances to win in extra time, including substitute Xherdan Shaqiri hitting the frame of the goal direct from a corner.
England were without captain and striker Harry Kane for the shootout after he collided with manager Gareth Southgate on the touchline while challenging for a ball and appeared to be hurt. He was replaced by Ivan Toney.
England beat Switzerland in a penalty shootout to reach Euro 2024 semifinals
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England beat Switzerland in a penalty shootout to reach Euro 2024 semifinals
- Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winner as England swept all of their penalties to win the shootout 5-3
- England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford earlier saved from Manuel Akanji, who took Switzerland’s first penalty kick
Pesky Aston Villa vie to continue ascent vs. Arsenal
- Gunners boss Mikel Arteta faces a group that has posed problems the past two seasons
- “I don’t know,” Arteta said, when asked if he thought the fixture meant a bit more to Emery
LONDON: Premier League leaders Arsenal will face yet another potential statement match when they visit a third-place Aston Villa side led by former Gunners manager Unai Emery in Saturday’s early kickoff.
With the exception of Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Brentford, Arsenal’s recent schedule has been a gauntlet of glamorous opponents.
On Sunday, they earned a 1-1 draw across town at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. Before that, it was a 3-1 home win over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League first phase. And before that, a convincing home derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
But in Emery’s Villa side, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta faces a group that has posed problems the past two seasons, taking seven points from their four league meetings. And in his Spanish managerial compatriot, he may face a foe who still carries extra motivation in this fixture since his own run in charge of Arsenal (10-1-3, 33 points) ended unceremoniously in 2019.
“I don’t know,” Arteta said, when asked if he thought the fixture meant a bit more to Emery. “I think when you look at Unai, his career, his motivation level, everywhere he’s had an impact, it’s all been remarkable. So I don’t know, that’s a question for him. But in my opinion, he never needs anything extra. I think he’s good enough in himself.”
Arteta has his own concerns amid a relentless campaign that, despite an 18-match unbeaten run, has not come without issues, particularly in the injury department. But that landscape is improving, with Martin Odegaard returning midweek from an extended absence and regulars Declan Rice, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard all questionable for Saturday.
Villa (8-3-3, 27 points) have overcome an uninspiring start to climb their way up the table after a string of four consecutive league wins and six in all competitions.
Donyell Malen has emerged as a legitimate threat off the bench in the role vacated by Jhon Duran, leading Villa with four league goals despite only four starts. Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins have also scored three league goals each.
But Emery’s group have been consistent more than overwhelming, with their last three wins over Leeds, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton coming by a single goal. Their overall plus-6 goal differential is less than that of fourth-place Chelsea and fifth-place Crystal Palace.
“This is the Premier League, the most difficult. And it was so, so difficult to beat Brighton, it was so difficult to beat Wolverhampton,” Emery said Friday. “I can remind it for us and for you, and I was not feeling favorite against Wolverhampton, and I told you it, and tomorrow, I am not feeling favorite, but as well, I know we can win.”
