Daily Times

Add another chapter to England’s tortuous history with penalty shootouts. Three years on from losing the European Championship final on penalties, England’s players radiated confidence as they beat Switzerland in a shootout to reach the semifinals of Euro 2024.

Trent Alexander-Arnold blasted the ball into the top corner for the winner as England swept all of its penalties to win the shootout 5-3 after a 1-1 draw in extra time on Saturday.

“The team showed a lot of character, a lot of belief, heart and spirit out there,” Alexander-Arnold told the BBC. “We knew it was going to be tight but whatever it takes, no matter what, we win and that´s all that matters.”

Benched following England´s first two Euro 2024 games, Alexander-Arnold “could have easily thought his tournament was done,” England manager Gareth Southgate said. “I kept talking to him. He´s going to have moments, there´s still a big part to play.”

Bukayo Saka, whose penalty kick was saved to decide the final shootout in 2021, and who was racially abused on social media in the aftermath, also stepped up to score. The 22-year-old had also equalized earlier to ensure the game went to extra time. The other shootout scorers were Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham, 22 and 21 respectively, and Ivan Toney, who returned in January from an eight-month ban for breaching betting rules.

England was in the lead in the shootout after goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved from Manuel Akanji, who took Switzerland’s first penalty kick.