Penalty thriller: Switzerland out, Spain celebrates semi-final

Four days after the spectacular victory in the penalty shootout against France, the Swiss lost on Friday in St. Petersburg in the point decision with 1:3 (1:1, 1:1, 0:1). Mikel Oyarzabal converted the decisive penalty for the Spaniards, Sergio Busquets had the first one hit the post. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón saved against Fabian Schär and Manuel Akanji, and the Swiss Yann Sommer saved against Rodri. Ruben Vargas missed.

Denis Zakaria took the Spanish lead with an own goal in the eighth minute, and Xherdan Shaqiri (68th) brought the Swiss back into the game. From the 77th minute onwards, coach Vladimir Petkovic's team had to play outnumbered because Remo Freuler was sent off. The semi-finals of a major tournament remain unattainable for the Swiss - despite goalkeeper Yann Sommer's strong saves. Zakaria is the unlucky one What bad luck for Zakaria, who was allowed to play for the suspended captain Granit Xhaka. Spain took advantage of the first corner. Koke hit the ball into the penalty area from the right side, but Aymeric Laporte couldn't reach it with his head. Luckily for Jordi Alba: The veteran, who had returned to the starting line-up, took off and Zakaria made an unstoppable deflection into the goal for Sommer.

Now the world champion conqueror was even more challenged. But then this: After 20 minutes, Breel Embolo had to be treated. It didn't go any further. He had to go out, Ruben Vargas came in. The Swiss stuck to their tactics against the passport specialists from Spain. After 25 minutes, Luis Enrique's team had almost 75 percent possession of the ball. And after another corner, another great chance: This time Alvaro Morata rose high, Sommer had to stretch, but he was there.

Yann Sommer showed numerous brilliant parades. © APA/afp / DMITRI LOVETSKY

What the Swiss were missing was, above all, relief. The moments of surprise from Xhaka were sorely missed. The few hundred Swiss fans who arrived in the northernmost European Championship city despite the delicate Corona situation initially saw no stormy Swiss spectacle after the nerve-wracking progress against France. A header - also from a corner - from Manuel Akanji went well over the goal (34th).

But there wasn't anything compelling for the Spaniards either. They let the ball run as usual and intentionally. However, the move to the opponent's goal was still missing after the two high-scoring performances in the group phase with the 5-0 against Slovakia and the 5-3 against runner-up Croatia in the round of XNUMX. Shaqiri scores the equalizer Dani Olmo should take care of that after the break. And just over a minute after the restart he tried for the first time from the left half from twelve meters - but was offside. Luis Enrique followed up by replacing Morata with second center forward Gerard Moreno. But a goal almost came from the other side. Zakaria's header just missed the Spaniards' goal.

Luis Enrique didn't seem at all calm about the narrow lead against a Swiss team that was already 1-3 down against France. He jumped up from the bench, gesticulated and pointed in the direction of his players. For good reason: In the 64th minute, they had a top-class chance through top preparer Steven Zuber, but keeper Unai Simón saved the lead.

He was powerless to equalize, which was caused by a misunderstanding between Spain's defenders Laporte and Pau Torres and Freuler used it to provide an assist to Shaqiri. The shout of joy should also prove that even more is possible now. Shortly afterwards, Freuler had to leave the field after a serious foul, and the exciting final phase began - without another goal. It went into extra time and finally into a tense penalty shootout, which Spain won.

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Penalty thriller: Switzerland out, Spain celebrates semi-final

This time the effort wasn't enough. World champion conqueror Switzerland was unfortunately eliminated in the quarter-finals of the European Football Championship against Spain after an own goal and a red card.

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