England reach EURO 2024 semis after beating Switzerland on penalties

Following four lackluster performances, Southgate decided to switch things up by adjusting England's formation to mirror Switzerland's five-at-the-back setup. Despite their struggles in creating opportunities, the Three Lions managed to gain more control over the game after a tense opening 10 minutes.

Fans in Düsseldorf were left disappointed as neither team managed to hit the target in the first half. However, Kobbie Mainoo was denied a goal just before halftime by a crucial block from Granit Xhaka.

Switzerland started to show their attacking prowess in the second half, with Breel Embolo coming close to scoring twice. However, his attempts were easily saved by Jordan Pickford.

As Switzerland continued to press forward, England found themselves defending deeper in their own half, a familiar sight in major tournaments under Southgate's management. The Red Crosses eventually broke the deadlock through Embolo, leaving England trailing with 15 minutes left on the clock.

With time running out, Bukayo Saka rescued England with a stunning goal, curling the ball into the net from the right side to level the score with 10 minutes remaining.

England had the momentum on their side, but they couldn't break through before the end of the 90 minutes, leading to extra time for the second game in a row. This time, there was no immediate goal like Harry Kane's against Slovakia.

However, Declan Rice almost scored a spectacular goal just five minutes into extra time, with his long-range shot being tipped around the post by Yann Sommer.

Xherdan Shaqiri, a long-standing figure for Switzerland, came close to a stunning winner when he hit the woodwork from a corner after coming off the bench.

Zeki Amdouni and Silvan Widmer also had chances to secure victory for their team, but England's defense held strong, taking the match to a penalty shootout.

In front of their supporters, Cole Palmer and Jordan Pickford played crucial roles in securing victory for England. Palmer confidently converted his spot-kick, while Pickford made a crucial save from Manuel Akanji.

The Three Lions were flawless from the penalty spot, with Trent Alexander-Arnold scoring the decisive penalty to send England to the semi-finals in Dortmund on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: England defeat spirited Slovakia 2-1 in extra time to set up EURO quarters clash with Switzerland