UEFA Euro 2024 Quarter-finals || England v Switzerland | Netherlands v Türkiye || Match Reviews

The final four of UEFA Euro 2024 are locked in. England booked their third semi-final in four tournaments with a nervy victory over Switzerland which went all the way, with Gareth Southgate’s side needing penalties to overcome a resilient Swiss side, while the Dutch came back from a goal down to set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash against the Three Lions. 

Let’s break down all the action from the last two quarter-final bouts of Euro 2024. 

Euro 2024 Match 47: England 1-1 Switzerland (England win 5-3 on penalties)

England booked their place to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 with a penalty shootout win over Switzerland as Jordan Pickford’s save from Manuel Akanji’s spot-kick proved decisive following a 1-1 draw after extra time. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold slammed home the winning penalty after Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Ivan Toney held their nerves and slotted in their respective spot-kicks, with Pickford denying Akanji’s first spot-kick, to clinch a 5-3 shootout win.

England, who will now face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday, had looked at risk of limping out of the tournament in normal time when Switzerland’s Breel Embolo went ahead of Kyle Walker to poke in Dan Ndoye’s deflected cross from close range in the 75th minute. However, Bukayo Saka, arguably been England’s most dangerous player over the last 18 months, found the leveller shortly within five minutes when he cut inside and curled a brilliant finish in off the post from outside the box.

Saka’s goal came from England’s first shot on target and Southgate’s side continued to labour in extra time, surviving heart-in-mouth moments when Xherdan Shaqiri struck the woodwork directly from a corner and Zeki Amdouni had a shot parried.

None of that mattered in the end, though, as England kept their cool in the shootout and go through to the semis. 

There are issues for Southgate to sort out before they face the Oranje, one challenge being to get more from his out-of-sorts captain Harry Kane, who was replaced by Toney before the shootout following a flat display, while it is imperative that he addresses the left-back situation given the wide threat both the Netherlands and the two teams in the other side of pool possess. 

Also read: UEFA EURO 2024 Semi-finals preview

Euro 2024 Match 48: Netherlands 2-1 Türkiye

The Netherlands scored twice in six minutes to overcome Türkiye 2-1 on the night and set up a Euro 2024 semi-final clash against England on Wednesday.

Coming into this encounter, the Dutch had won just one of their previous ten European Championship matches. Despite being behind at half time, they were inspired by the introduction of striker Wout Weghorst at the break which helped force the turnaround.

Türkiye were definitely the better of the two teams in the first half and took their chance in the 35th minute when teenage sensation Arda Güler delivered a perfect cross from the right for centre-back Samet Akaydin to head home from inside the six-yard box.

The Netherlands attack had struggled to click up until this point, but Weghorst, on for Steven Bergwijn at the interval, gave them more presence up against the three Turkish centre-backs, immediately setting up a chance for Memphis Depay.

Türkiye, though, despite coming under more pressure in the second half, still saw Güler hit the outside of the left post with a long-range free-kick and forced the unsighted Bart Verbruggen to parry from Kenan Yildiz’ powerful strike.

But after Weghorst’s volley had been tipped behind for a corner, Türkiye switched off and Depay’s cross was headed in by the unmarked Stefan de Vrij in the 70th minute before the Netherlands took the lead moments later when Mert Muldur inadvertently turned Denzel Dumfries’ cross into his own net under pressure from Cody Gakpo.

Türkiye mounted a late onslaught, with substitute Zeki Celik’s goalbound effort blocked yards from the line by Micky van de Ven. After Gakpo had been denied at the other end, Verbruggen made an outstanding save in added time to keep out Semih K?l?çsoy from close range. 

The Dutch men will be playing their first semi-final in a major tournament for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with England gunning for their consecutive Euro final. 

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