Switzerland 1-1 Spain: Spain beat Switzerland on penalties to reach Euros semison July 2, 2021 at 7:11 pm

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Spain book their place in the semi-finals of the European Championship after a penalty shootout win over Switzerland.

Swiss substitute Ruben Vargas was in tears at full-time after he blasted his penalty over the bar, allowing Mikel Oyarzabal to score the decider for Spain.

Spain, ranked sixth in the world, also needed extra time to defeat Croatia in the last 16 despite leading 3-1 with five minutes of normal time to play.

They were in front in St Petersburg against Switzerland too – midfielder Denis Zakaria deflected Jordi Alba’s shot into his own net to give Spain an early lead.

Swiss captain Xherdan Shaqiri equalised following a mistake at the back by Spain but team-mate Remo Freuler was sent off nine minutes later.

They held on to force extra time and a shootout but missed three spot kicks which ultimately proved costly.

Spain will face Italy at Wembley on Tuesday in the semi-finals after Roberto Mancini’s side beat Belgium 2-1.

Spain lack ruthlessness but scrape through

When Alba’s shot deflected in to put Spain 1-0 up in the eighth minute, there were hopeful signs for Luis Enrique’s side.

They had chances to extend their lead with Cesar Azpilicueta and Pau Torres both nodding wide from corners.

But Spain’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal almost came back to bite them when Zakaria, earlier at fault for the own goal, came close with a header himself, while Steven Zuber was denied from close range.

Eventually it was a mistake at the back from Spain which gave Switzerland a lifeline. A mix-up between Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres was pounced on by Freuler and he teed up Shaqiri, who could not miss.

But Freuler’s heroics were short-lived when he came sliding in late on Gerard Moreno and English referee Michael Oliver did not hesitate to show a straight red card.

Switzerland were clinging on for the remaining 13 minutes and defended bravely in extra time – Ricardo Rodriguez produced an excellent block to deny Marcos Llorente.

Moreno had the best chance two minutes into the added time when he fired wide from a few yards out and kicked the post in frustration.

But Spain – who missed two penalties in the shootout – did just enough to scrape through. Their toughest test yet will come in the last four against Italy after they knocked out Belgium, the world’s top-ranked team.

Switzerland

  1. Squad number23Player nameShaqiri
    Average rating

    8.04

  2. Squad number1Player nameSommer
    Average rating

    7.81

  3. Squad number5Player nameAkanji
    Average rating

    6.95

  4. Squad number9Player nameSeferovic
    Average rating

    6.93

  5. Squad number14Player nameZuber
    Average rating

    6.91

  6. Squad number13Player nameRodríguez
    Average rating

    6.89

  7. Squad number4Player nameElvedi
    Average rating

    6.72

  8. Squad number7Player nameEmbolo
    Average rating

    6.69

  9. Squad number3Player nameWidmer
    Average rating

    6.51

  10. Squad number19Player nameGavranovic
    Average rating

    6.51

  11. Squad number2Player nameMbabu
    Average rating

    6.38

  12. Squad number6Player nameZakaria
    Average rating

    6.37

  13. Squad number15Player nameSow
    Average rating

    6.31

  14. Squad number8Player nameFreuler
    Average rating

    6.26

  15. Squad number11Player nameVargas
    Average rating

    6.24

  16. Squad number16Player nameFassnacht
    Average rating

    6.17

  17. Squad number22Player nameSchär
    Average rating

    6.16

Spain

  1. Squad number18Player nameAlba
    Average rating

    6.09

  2. Squad number10Player nameThiago Alcántara
    Average rating

    6.01

  3. Squad number2Player nameAzpilicueta
    Average rating

    5.83

  4. Squad number23Player nameSimón
    Average rating

    5.72

  5. Squad number11Player nameTorres
    Average rating

    5.68

  6. Squad number5Player nameBusquets
    Average rating

    5.54

  7. Squad number26Player namePedri
    Average rating

    5.52

  8. Squad number8Player nameKoke
    Average rating

    5.43

  9. Squad number24Player nameLaporte
    Average rating

    5.36

  10. Squad number21Player nameOyarzabal
    Average rating

    5.25

  11. Squad number4Player nameTorres
    Average rating

    5.23

  12. Squad number19Player nameOlmo
    Average rating

    5.15

  13. Squad number6Player nameMarcos Llorente
    Average rating

    5.01

  14. Squad number22Player nameSarabia
    Average rating

    4.98

  15. Squad number7Player nameMorata
    Average rating

    4.89

  16. Squad number16Player nameRodri
    Average rating

    4.88

  17. Squad number9Player nameMoreno
    Average rating

    4.71

Line-ups

Switzerland

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Sommer
  • 3WidmerBooked at 67minsSubstituted forMbabuat 100’minutes
  • 4Elvedi
  • 5Akanji
  • 13Rodríguez
  • 6ZakariaSubstituted forSchärat 100’minutes
  • 8FreulerBooked at 77mins
  • 7EmboloSubstituted forVargasat 23’minutes
  • 23ShaqiriSubstituted forSowat 81’minutes
  • 14ZuberSubstituted forFassnachtat 90+2’minutes
  • 9SeferovicSubstituted forGavranovicat 82’minutesBooked at 120mins

Substitutes

  • 2Mbabu
  • 11Vargas
  • 12Mvogo
  • 15Sow
  • 16Fassnacht
  • 17Benito
  • 19Gavranovic
  • 20Fernandes
  • 21Kobel
  • 22Schär
  • 25Cömert
  • 26Lotomba

Spain

Formation 4-3-3

  • 23Simón
  • 2Azpilicueta
  • 24LaporteBooked at 90mins
  • 4TorresSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 113’minutes
  • 18Alba
  • 8KokeSubstituted forLlorenteat 90+2’minutes
  • 5Busquets
  • 26GonzálezSubstituted forRodriat 119’minutes
  • 11TorresSubstituted forOyarzabalat 90’minutes
  • 7MorataSubstituted forMorenoat 54’minutes
  • 22SarabiaSubstituted forOlmoat 45’minutes

Substitutes

  • 1de Gea
  • 3Llorente
  • 6Llorente
  • 9Moreno
  • 10Thiago Alcántara
  • 12García
  • 13Sánchez
  • 14Gayà
  • 16Rodri
  • 19Olmo
  • 20Traoré
  • 21Oyarzabal
Referee:
Michael Oliver
Attendance:
24,764

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Switzerland 1(1), Spain 1(3).

Penalties over

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