EURO 2024: England, Netherlands Advance After Dramatic Matches

Pickford Saved the English Team in Penalties Against Switzerland, Netherlands Came Back to Defeat Turkey After Trailing.

England has reached the semifinals of Euro 2024 after a dramatic 5-3 victory on penalties against Switzerland. The “Three Lions” were again trailing, as they were in the round of 16 match against Slovakia.

Breel Embolo gave the “Crusaders” the lead in the 75th minute, but just five minutes later, Bukayo Saka equalized.

No further goals were scored in extra time, and in the penalty shootout, Gareth Southgate’s players were flawless, with Trent Alexander-Arnold converting the final spot-kick. Manuel Akanji missed Switzerland’s first penalty, costing the “Crusaders” their place in the semifinals. The English played with a new formation but in the same lackluster and uninspired manner. Nevertheless, the “Three Lions” had a slight advantage before the break.

In the second half, Switzerland was the more active team.

However, England once again managed to escape thanks to the individual brilliance of one of their players. This time, Saka equalized.

The positive change in play, however, was not evident.

The “Three Lions” have had only one loss in their 24 encounters with the “Crusaders,” with their last defeat to this opponent dating back to 1981. England achieved their 50th victory in major tournaments in Southgate’s 100th match in charge of the team.

Southgate made only one change from the game against Slovakia, with Ezri Konsa replacing the suspended Marc Guehi. For several days, the media on the Island had predicted that the “Three Lions” manager would change the formation and start with three central defenders.

This prediction proved accurate. Reports indicated that Arsenal’s winger Bukayo Saka would start as a left wing-back. In contrast, Kieran Trippier, who had previously played as a left-back in the team’s matches in Germany, would be moved to the right.

However, the first minutes of the match showed that this was not the case – Saka was playing as a right wing-back, while Trippier was on the left.

Kobbie Mainoo partnered with Declan Rice, with Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham playing behind Harry Kane.

Murat Yakin opted for the same lineup that started in the round of 16 match against Italy. This meant that Granit Xhaka, who had adductor issues, was ready to start. Breel Embolo led the attack, with Vargas and Ndoye on the wings. Kwadwo Duah started on the bench.

The first ten minutes were evenly matched, but the English settled into the “Crusaders’” half.

Shots from Rice and Mainoo from the edge of the penalty area were blocked. The Swiss found it difficult to bring the ball out during this period. In the 21st minute, Foden, who had a much freer role today, played a good through ball to Saka on the right.

The Arsenal star immediately sent in a low cross, but the ball was cleared for the match’s first corner. Nothing came from it.

In the 28th minute, Saka again got away on the right, beat Aebischer, and tried the same sharp low pass, but Akanji cleared.

In the 36th minute, Bellingham did well to free himself and switched the play to Saka on the other flank.

He crossed into the box where Bellingham let it go, but Kane wasn’t there, and the ball ended up in Sommer’s hands. Until halftime, the English increased their possession even more.

In the last minute, Saka made a good run on the right for the third time, went past three opponents, and returned the ball to Mainoo, but Xhaka made a crucial tackle to clear the ball off the young player’s feet.

The English started the second half better, but Switzerland’s first attack led to the first on-target shot.

Embolo took it, but the shot was weak, and Pickford had no trouble saving it.

In the 57th minute, Rodriguez crossed to Embolo, who headed it, but Konsa defended well and managed to block the striker, after which Pickford easily caught the ball again. The Swiss team, however, visibly stepped up in attack during these minutes. The “Crusaders” took two corners, but nothing came of them.

In the 63rd minute, Yakin made a double substitution – Rieder and Vargas were replaced by Zuber and Widmer.

Switzerland’s better play after the break paid off in the 75th minute when Ndoye crossed from the right. The ball ricocheted off John Stones’ foot, who failed to intervene properly, and reached the far post, where Embolo beat Walker and scored from close range to give Yakin’s team the lead.

Only then did Southgate decide to make changes.

He made three substitutions simultaneously, with Shaw, Eze, and Palmer replacing Mainoo, Trippier, and Konsa.

In the 80th minute, Saka’s individual class, who was England’s best player in this match, saved the “Three Lions.”

The Arsenal star made a good run on the right, created a shooting lane, and scored with a very precise low shot in the bottom right corner for 1-1.

After the equalizer, the English pressed but could not score again, leading to extra time.

In the fifth minute of the first half of extra time, a well-worked England attack ended with a fine strike from Declan Rice from about 25 meters, but Yann Sommer made a brilliant save to tip the ball around the post.

In the 100th minute, Fabian Schär, already on a yellow card, stopped Eze’s run with a foul.

The English called for a second yellow card, but Orsato spared him. Shortly after, the Swiss defense failed to clear the ball, giving Bellingham a chance to shoot. His first shot was blocked, and Sommer saved the second.

In the 109th minute, Kane suffered an injury after a clash with Akanji, which sent him flying towards the bench. Ivan Toney replaced him. Shaqiri came on for Embolo in the Swiss lineup.

In the 117th minute, Shaqiri surprisingly aimed a corner directly at the goal, and the ball ricocheted off the woodwork. Switzerland finished stronger, and in the 119th minute, Pickford saved a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area by Amdouni.

The match went to penalties.

The English were the first to take their kicks: Cole Palmer, flawless from the spot throughout the season, scored the first penalty. Pickford saved a penalty from Manuel Akanji, who shot very weakly. Jude Bellingham also sent Sommer the wrong way to make it 2-0. Fabian Schär pulled one back for Switzerland. Bukayo Saka made it 3-1. Pickford came close to saving Shaqiri’s shot, but it was precise enough. Ivan Toney made it 4-2, but Amdouni was also accurate. Trent Alexander-Arnold convincingly converted the fifth penalty, sending England to the semifinals.

The English will have to contend with the Netherlands.

The last semifinalist of Euro 2024. The “Tulips” made a comeback in the second half against Turkey and won 2-1. Ronald Koeman’s team showed character and broke the resistance of the Turks, who were supported by many of their fans at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Samet Akaydin gave Turkey the lead in the 35th minute with a header following a mistake by Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

The “Oranges” equalized in the 70th minute through Stefan de Vrij after a cross from Memphis Depay, and in the 76th minute, Mert Müldür scored an own goal, which decided the match.

For the first time since the beginning of the tournament, Ronald Koeman relied on an unchanged lineup for two consecutive matches. Bart Verbruggen was in goal, and the defensive quartet was composed of Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk, and Nathan Aké.

In midfield, Tijjani Reijnders, Xavi Simons, and Jerdy Schouten partnered, while Steven Bergwijn, Memphis Depay, and Cody Gakpo were relied upon in the forward positions.

It was expected that Donyell Malen, the author of two goals against Romania, would start instead of Bergwijn. Still, the Ajax winger overcame his knee problems and was again a starter.

After serving a suspension, Turkey’s captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu returned, organizing his team’s attacks along with Kenan Yıldız, Salih Özcan, and Barış Yılmaz. The young star Arda Güler was positioned by Vincenzo Montella at the top of the attack, with Mert Müldür and Ferdi Kadıoğlu operating on the flanks.

The defenders in front of Mert Günok were Kaan Ayhan, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, and Samet Akaydin, who replaced the hero from the match against Austria, Merih Demiral.

The two teams last met in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with the Turks winning 4-2 in Istanbul.

In the return match in Amsterdam, the Netherlands achieved a resounding 6-1 victory after a hat-trick by Memphis Depay. The overall balance between them is in favor of the “Oranges.”

In the 1st minute, the Netherlands had a chance to take the lead, but Depay, who found himself in a good position in the penalty area, shot high over the goal. Shortly after, the former Atlético Madrid player again created problems for the Turkish defense but did not hit the ball well. The Dutch dominated at the beginning of the match and sought openings in the dense opposing defense. The “Tulips” pressed high and did not allow the Turks to play for long in the midfield.

In the 11th minute, Özcan attempted a long-range, inaccurate shot.

A similar attempt was made by Xavi Simons, who was again impressed with his enormous work rate. Midway through the half, the Turks played more boldly. A powerful shot by Çalhanoğlu deflected off Van Dijk’s head, and the subsequent corner did not bring trouble to Verbruggen.

In the 25th minute, the Dutch captain kept his composure and did not allow Barış Yılmaz, who had moved to the top of the attack, to get past him at the goal line.

This was a strong period for the Turks, and Bardakcı missed the chance to open the scoring after a perfect cross from Çalhanoğlu.

Shortly after, Xavi Simons received a yellow card for a rough foul on Mert Müldür but was lucky that referee Clément Turpin did not send him off. Montella’s players became increasingly aggressive, forcing their opponents to make mistakes in their half.

In the 35th minute, Arda Güler crossed to the far post, Verbruggen misjudged the ball’s flight, and Samet Akaydin gave Turkey the lead, to the delight of most of the fans in the stands.

The goal visibly unsettled the Dutch. They had little time to react before the break, and Turkey was now playing more confidently. In the 42nd minute, Bergwijn shot from outside the penalty area, but the ball went far from the target. Left-back Kadıoğlu stopped Dumfries’ advances several times, and Gakpo was playing too individually.

Koeman’s team did not make a single accurate shot throughout the half.

The “Oranges” coach substituted Bergwijn with Wout Weghorst at halftime. The experienced striker took his usual position, and Depay moved slightly back. In the 54th minute, Gakpo crossed to Weghorst, who Akaydin outpaced, but the referee did not award a corner, only a goal kick.

In the counterattack, Nathan Aké received a yellow card for a foul on the speeding Arda Güler. The youngster took the free kick, and the ball hit the left post.

In this situation, Turpin did not see Verbruggen’s intervention and did not award a corner in favor of Turkey.

The Netherlands attacked with more and more players, but the Turks were very well organized and helped each other in every situation. In the 65th minute, Verbruggen saved a powerful shot from Kenan Yıldız, and the ball was cleared. In the 70th minute, Depay lobbed the ball to the unmarked Weghorst, but he could not beat Mert Günok.

After the subsequent corner, the ball was played short, and Depay found De Vrij in the penalty area, who scored with a header to make it 1-1.

The equalizer inspired the Dutch, who continued to attack, and panic was increasingly evident in the Turks’ actions.

Koeman refreshed his team with the inclusion of Joey Veerman and Micky van de Ven. In the 76th minute, Dumfries advanced from the right and crossed along the ground. Günok was late with his reaction, and in an attempt to outpace Cody Gakpo and prevent the danger, Mert Müldür sent the ball into his own net.

Montella took a risk and made two double substitutions, bringing on Okay Yokuşlu, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Mehmet Zeki Çelik, and Cenk Tosun.

In the 85th minute, the Turks had two chances to restore parity, but shots from Zeki Çelik and Aktürkoğlu were blocked consecutively. Cenk Tosun also had an opportunity to shoot at Verbruggen’s goal, but sent the ball wide. The Netherlands responded with a dangerous counter-attack, during which Gakpo shot powerfully, but Mert Günok kept the intrigue alive.

In added time, the Turks squandered another incredible opportunity. Substitute Semih Kılıçsoy deflected the ball after a cross from the left flank, but Verbruggen again showed brilliant reflexes.