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| AFP Yonhap News |
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| APYonhap News |
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| Source=Sky Sports |
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The English national soccer team barely made it to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 after sweating against Switzerland.
England, led by head coach Gareth Southgate, drew 1-1 with Switzerland in the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 at Düsseldorf Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on the 7th (Korea time), and won the semifinals with a penalty shootout score of 5-3 thanks to a heroic save by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (Everton) in the penalty shootout.
As a result, England, which finished second in the last Euro 2020, achieved the feat of reaching the semi-finals for two consecutive tournaments. England have never reached the semi-finals or higher in five tournaments since the 21st century. At Euro 2008, he suffered a humiliation of failing to qualify. Southgate has become the first England manager to reach the semi-finals of two consecutive Euro tournaments. He is looking to win the first Euros in England's history.
'Son Heung-min's best friend'Harry Kane(Bayern Munich) has only two wins left until his escape from the 'military jinx' that lasted for more than a decade. Kane has never won a championship with his former team Tottenham, his current team Munich and England. England will face the Netherlands, which came from behind to win 2-1 against Turkiye on the same day in the semifinals at Dortmund on the 11th. The England-Dutch winner will compete with the Spain-France semi-final winner for the championship in the final.
The start was unsettling. England, which barely came from behind to win 2-1 after an extended match against Slovakia in the round of 16 on the 1st, has not been able to wash away the poor performance that has been raised throughout the tournament. Southgate has made drastic changes to his defensive tactics from four-back to three-back, but these changes have not changed England, which is passive and destructive. The first half ended in a 0-0 draw.
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In the 30th minute of the second half, when the 0-0 tedious battle continued, Brill Embolo (AS Monaco) scored a fatal first goal. It was a source of concern that he failed to properly deal with the opponent's right cross in front of the gate. In the last Slovakia match, he gave up the first goal in the first half and had time to turn it over in the second half, but he allowed a point with 15 minutes left before the end of the game. The atmosphere in England's stands was chilled.
However, within five minutes, a quick equalizer was scored. Bukayo Saka, who had been silent throughout the round of 16, dug in from the right near the opponent's box to the center and kicked a left-footed mid-range shot aimed at the bottom of the goal. England managed to take the game to extra time with the goal. No goal was scored for 30 minutes of extra time, and a penalty shootout took place.
If the regular-time hero was Saka who scored the equalizer, the penalty shootout hero was Pickford. Pickford saved a shot by Swiss No. 1 kicker Manuel Akanji (Man City). After the game, Pickford's water bottle showed the Swiss players' penalty tendencies, such as "'Akanji dives to the left.'" On the other hand, England's Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Saka, Ivan Toney (Brentford), and Trent Alexander Arnold (Liverpool) all scored calmly. England, which lost to Italy in a penalty shootout in the final of the last tournament and failed to win, overcame the penalty shootout trauma three years later. Kane, who was replaced by a leg injury in overtime, watched his team win on the bench and gave Pickford a big hug.
yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
