Femi Solaja

Jordan Pickford was the hero as England needed penalties to overcome Switzerland and book their place in the next round of Euro 2024.

It was the first time the Three Lions win a match on penalties at major international tournament with Euro 1996 semi final loss as host to Germany, quarter final penalty loss to Portugal in Germany 2006 World Cup and more recently, the loss in the final match of 2020 Euro final on home soil to Italy come to mind.

And yesterday, they rarely do it the easy way, and it took another late show as they made it to their second consecutive European Championship final.

They went behind with just 15 minutes to go when Breel Embolo was able to tap from home close range.

But just as they did against Slovakia, England refused to stay down equalising 10 minutes from time, through the ever-impressive Bukayo Saka’s curling effort.

Extra-time was a nervy affair as Switzerland came close to breaking the deadlock through a Xherdan Shaqiri penalty that hit the corner of the post and the crossbar.

It had been another scrappy game like the 4 that had come before in England’s tournament.

But Gareth Southgate’s side looked more dynamic in the first-half, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka able to get in behind on more than one occasion.

Yet they had been plagued by the same issues throughout the tournament, the attack lacked cohesion.

When Saka was able to get to the byline and cut the ball back into the six-yard box, there was no one on hand to finish.

And that happened on more than one occasion as the 22-year-old had the beating of his man Michel Aebischer.

The Three Lions looked like they were heading out when Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead.

The goal kept in the theme of the game as Embolo found himself on the end of a cross deflected by the studs of John Stones.

With Kyle Walker caught the wrong side, there wasn’t much he could do as Embolo bundled the ball into the back of the net from no more than three yards out.

It sparked Southgate into life as he made three changes, bringin on Luke Shaw, Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer for Ezri Konsa, Kobbie Mainoo and Kieran Trippier.

Before those changes had a chance to really take effect, the dangerous right winger Saka had levelled.

He was afforded the time and space to cut inside on his favoured left foot and he curled an effort off the inside of the far post to bring England level.