Euro 2024 day 23: England face Netherlands in last four after penalty drama
The Dutch came from a goal down to beat Turkey.
England hit back from a goal down before beating Switzerland in a nail-biting penalty shootout to book a Euro 2024 semi-final spot.
Gareth Southgate’s side can now look forward to a showdown on Wednesday against the Netherlands, who also battled back from 1-0 down to edge past Turkey.
Here, the PA news agency looks back at the latest action from Euro 2024.
England spot on
Jordan Pickford was the shoot-out hero as England kept their Euro 2024 dreams alive by beating Switzerland on penalties to reach the semi-finals.
Three years on from being denied the continental crown on spot-kicks, they had to fight their demons from 12 yards to continue their quest to go one better in Germany.
Bukayo Saka cancelled out Breel Embolo’s opener to take the quarter-final to extra-time and onto penalties after it ended 1-1, with the England star converting to bury the ghosts of his Euro 2020 final miss.
But Pickford was the star as he saved Manuel Akanji’s penalty, with Trent Alexander-Arnold wrapping up a 5-3 triumph to spark bedlam in Dusseldorf and seal a semi-final spot.
Saka lays his shootout demons to rest
Despite being shifted into an unfamiliar role as right wing-back, Saka was England’s best player and his moment of individual brilliance, arrowing in from distance, rescued Southgate’s side.
It got better for the Arsenal forward, who three years on from the decisive missed spot-kick in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, confidently dispatched his penalty in the shootout.
He said on BBC One afterwards: “I have faith in God. To come back from something like that was really difficult. But I used it to make me stronger and I took the chance now so I’m happy.”
Dutch double downs Turkey
The Netherlands struck twice in quick succession as they came from behind to book a showdown against England with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Turkey.
Samet Akaydin gave Turkey a 35th-minute lead in a tense quarter-final encounter in Berlin but the Netherlands rallied after the break.
Stefan De Vrij headed the equaliser on 70 minutes and the turnaround was completed six minutes later when Mert Muldur turned into his own net under pressure from Cody Gakpo.
Turkey piled forward in search of a late equaliser but Bart Verbruggen produced a brilliant reaction save to deny Kerem Akturkoglu in a nervous finale.
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