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French Fans React To Euro Penalty Shootout Win Paving Way To Semi-final

France will take on Spain the semi-finals of Euro 2024 after clinching a penalty shootout victory over Portugal in their quarter-final clash in Hamburg.

That match was bereft of any attacking quality in the final third with both sides missing a plethora of chances as goalkeepers Mike Maignan and Diogo Costa proved their worth between the sticks. Maignan denying Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha from close range with Costa helping nullify the threat of Kylian Mbappe.

The teams could not be separated after 120 minutes and the match went down to a penalty shootout. Cristiano Ronaldo sank his first up for Portugal but the French were flawless. Joao Felix’s effort (third in the Portuguese line-up) struck the post to hand Les Bleus the advantage and a fabulous finish form Theo Hernandez sent them through as 5-3 winners.

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Gifted Portugal dragged down by Ronaldo the anchor in underwhelming Euro 2024 exit

Six and out. Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth and last European Championships came to an end as Portugal paid for an impotence that stemmed from affording their captain privileged status. They went out on penalties, Joao Felix rolling his spot kick against the foot of the post as everyone else scored, but after a second successive stalemate, after 364 minutes without scoring.

If it is an equally damning statistic that no France player has scored for them in open play this tournament, five did in a shootout. Diogo Costa had saved a trio of Slovenian spot kicks in the last 16 but Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana, Jules Kounde and Bradley Barcola all found the net, allowing Theo Hernandez to set up a superpower semi-final against Spain.

The ends can justify the means and for Didier Deschamps, dullness has brought a fourth semi-final in the last five major tournaments. In the process, France conquered a demon or two. Eliminated from Euro 2020 on penalties, losing the 2022 World Cup final in a shootout, France avoided an unwanted hat-trick. They also gained a modicum of revenge for their Euro 2016 final defeat to Portugal.

Gifted Portugal dragged down by Ronaldo the anchor in underwhelming Euro 2024 exit

Portugal 0-0 France (France win 5-3 on penalties): Ronaldo offered little despite his privileged status as undroppable and France ended their penalty hoodoo to squeak into the semi-finals

Chris Wilson5 July 2024 23:15

England v Switzerland TV channel, start time and how to watch Euro 2024 fixture online

Euro 2024 has reached the quarter-final stage and England are still very much involved - despite having been seconds from elimination last time out and having underwhelmed throughout the tourmanent so far.

A Jude Bellingham overhead kick saved the Three Lions against Slovakia, before Harry Kane’s header in extra time won them the tie, after finishing top in the group stage despite only managing a single victory from their three games.

Improvement is expected and will be necessary, but for that to happen changes seem are no doubt needed once more in the team - and there’s still the matter of a potentially pending suspension for Bellingham to solve, after he made gestures outside the realms of “decent conduct” and was investigated by Uefa.

Now they face Switzerland, who themselves looked assured in finishing second behind Germany in Group A, before knocking out an Italy side in the last 16 who performed even worse than England at the tournament. There’s no doubt, though, that Gareth Southgate’s team needs an extraordinarily improved performance to continue their journey from this point.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game.

England v Switzerland TV channel, start time and how to watch

The Three Lions have been unimpressive yet snuck through to the last eight with an extra time win over Slovakia

Chris Wilson6 July 2024 07:00

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The Arsenal battle of old and new that will decide England v Switzerland at Euro 2024

Like too many of his international teammates, Declan Rice has not been at his very best level at Euro 2024. Too few times has he been able to surge forward in possession. He’s winning fewer duels per 90 minutes, has been successful in fewer aerial challenges and has been dispossessed more often in Germany than he did during the Premier League season with Arsenal.

Of course, there’s another difference, too, which makes the above comparisons both eye-opening and irrelevant all at once: he’s not playing the same role for England as he does for the Gunners, so why would he achieve the same things?

Indeed, that seems to be a theme this summer in the Three Lions’ camp. Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold were both right-back all year for their clubs, if in different ways. Neither are with England. Phil Foden is playing on the opposite flank. Ezri Konsa’s only minutes so far have come in the one back line position he doesnt play. And Rice, well, Rice’s position is still central midfield, but he’s operating under very different roles and instructions and instead of a safety net behind him, he largely is the safety net.

While there shouldn’t really at this stage be too much discussion about players not being able to operate outside of a single method or in a single area of the pitch, it does give rise to a series of questions including why some are picked, others aren’t and a particular system utilised if it’s not getting the best out of any of them.

The Arsenal battle of old and new that will decide England v Switzerland

Declan Rice hasn’t performed to his best but might hold the key to the Three Lions standing firm against Switzerland

Chris Wilson6 July 2024 01:00

Spain v Germany player ratings: Dani Olmo shines as hosts dramatically dumped out of Euro 2024

And here are the player ratings from the earlier game...

Spain beat Germany in a thrilling contest in Stuttgart that ended 2-1 after extra-time, thanks to a 119th-minute Mikel Merino header.

The first half was dominated by fouls and bookings more than free-flowing attacking football, with Kai Havertz scuffing the best chance of the half as Pedri was forced off due to injury and three players received yellow cards (with Toni Kroos somehow escaping one too).

But the second half was a far more exciting affair, not least after great work from Lamine Yamal set up Dani Olmo to sweep the ball past Manuel Neuer on 51 minutes. That goal injected life into the contest, with Germany growing into the game and both teams having chances.

The hosts looked like they were exiting the competition until Florian Wirtz crashed a half-volley against the post and into the Spanish net, and the so-called ‘real final’ was suddenly heading to extra-time.

Both sides traded blows in the last 30 minutes, with neither managing to gain the upper hand in attack, before Carvajal played a lovely switch across the pitch and the ball ended up with Olmo. He played an inviting cross to the near post and Merino was there to guide a lovely header home and take Spain to the semi-finals.

Chris Wilson