Last Updated on August 15, 2024
England (5) 1 – 1 (3) Switzerland
In a tense Euro 2024 that ended with a 1-1 draw, England won against Switzerland after securing a 5-3 penalty. England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was the hero of the night after saving a crucial penalty from Manuel Akanji.
The whole match started and ended with a tight affair. Although at the start of the game, both teams failed to score a single goal, it was actually in the latter part that the game got even fiercer. Switzerland made the first lead after Breel Embrolo’s right-corner goal in the 75th minute. But not too long after Switzerland led, England equalized the score as Bukayo Saka delivered a strong long-range kick.
As both teams had a draw score, the match remained tied through extra time, leading to a thrilling penalty shootout. But England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who saved Switzerland’s first penalty from Manuel Akanji, was the hero. Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winning penalty, sending England through with a 5-3 win.
However, despite England securing the spot in the semi-final, their performance wasn’t all smooth sailing. England captain Harry Kane had a rare off night and was withdrawn before the decisive shoot-out. Regardless of these difficulties, England still kept their hope very much alive. They will now face Netherlands in the next step of the tournament.
Netherlands 2-1 Turkiye
The Netherlands may not have started strong in the tournament but they have secured a spot in the semi-final. In their recent match, they were able to stage a dramatic comeback with a score of 2-1 against Türkiye.
Samet Akaydin made the first goal of the night in the 35th minute giving Türkiye the upper hand in the first half. But as the second half started, the favor turned completely to the Netherlands. Stefan de Vrij equalized the score after his excellent header marking his first international goal.
But just six minutes later, the Dutch snatched the victory as Denzel Dumfries’s cross deflected off Mert Müldür into the Turkish net giving the Netherlands their lead for the night. The Türkiye tried to make another goal but they were denied by a goal-line block and saved in added time until the final whistle was blown.
For the Netherlands, it was quite a reversal of history – they had never won before in 10 previous matches when trailing at halftime in a European Championship. Nevertheless, this victory brings them closer to their Euro Championship league as they played against England in the semi-final.