Bukayo Saka put on a Player of the Match display as England saw off Switzerland to reach the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Our number 7 was instrumental in the Three Lions' victory, scoring both the equaliser and coolly converting his penalty in the eventual shootout.
Saka and Declan Rice were named in Gareth Southgate's starting XI to face Switzerland, as they have been throughout the tournament.
The winger was England's key attacking force in the first half, stretching the play on the right and successfully dribbling past Michel Aebischer four times. In one such run, Saka managed to shrug off two markers to reach the baseline and cut back to Kobbie Mainoo on the edge of the six-yard box, but a courageous block from Granit Xhaka denied the young midfielder.
England were left to rue their missed chances in the 75th minute as Switzerland pounced: Dan Ndoye playing a tricky ball across the face of goal for Breel Embolo to tap home.
But less than five minutes later, an Arsenal link-up proved the difference for England. Rice played the ball to his teammate at the edge of the area, cleared his path with a decoy run and Saka did the rest in trademark fashion: cutting inside on his left foot and letting fly to find that all-important equaliser.
A HUGE goal in this #EURO2024 quarter-final!
— England (@England) July 6, 2024
👏 @BukayoSaka87 pic.twitter.com/3QG9UEiRG4
That goal means Saka is now our highest scorer for the England men's team, tied with Cliff Bastin on 12 international goals.
With nothing between the two sides after 90 minutes and extra time, it was time for the inevitable penalty shootout. Coincidentally, the last time England had been successful in a shootout was during the 2019 UEFA Nations League when they beat none other than Switzerland.
Saka was third to head to the spot after Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham converted convincingly and he made no mistake either with a penalty that nestled happily in the side netting. Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold followed suit, meaning that Jordan Pickford's save against Manuel Akanji was enough to see the Three Lions through to the semi-final.
England will now face the Netherlands on Wednesday evening in Dortmund.
Big player for big moments.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 6, 2024
Our Bukayo ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vnJImbI90B
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.