UEFA EURO 2020, Switzerland vs Spain Highlights.UEFA EURO 2020, Switzerland vs Spain Highlights: Spain became the first team to progress to the semifinals of the UEFA Euro 2020 after beating Switzerland 3-1 on penalties in St Petersburg on Friday. They were tied 1-1 at the end of extra time.
Luis Enrique’s team got off to a brilliant start after Denis Zakaria deflected the ball into his own net in the eighth minute to give Spain an early lead. Switzerland maintained their shape and pounced on an equalising opportunity in the 68th minute through Xherdan Shaqiri. After the contest was tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes, extra time ensued. Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer came clutch in the final half-hour making a number of vital saves to deny the likes of Dani Olmo, Gerard Moreno and Mikel Oyarzabal. In the penalty shootout, Oyarzabal scored the decisive penalty for Spain after Switzerland missed three penalties through Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Vargas. Spain will next face either Belgium or Italy in the last four.
Oyarzabal scores and sends Spain through to the semi-finals with a 3-1 win on penalties! Elation for Luis Enrique and his men!
Vargas has hoofed it high and it's head in hands moment for Switzerland. Not even on target.
Moreno plants his penalty to the top corner. An emphatic penalty and Spain are in the lead!
Akanji showed too much and his low shot is saved by Simon!
Rodri steps up and his penalty is saved! Sommer repeats the trick!
Schar's tame shot is saved by Simon and Spain have parity.
Olmo fires it into the roof and Spain are on the board. Right in the top corner.
Gavranovic scores efficiently to the right of Simon. A cool penalty.
MISS! Busquets hits the left post!
A resilient performance by ten-men Switzerland leads the contest into a penalty shootout. Who will go through?
Llorente comes close but his shot is blocked astutely by Rodriguez, and then minutes later, Alba finds Olmo inside the box but the Leipzig forward's left-footed volley is saved by Sommer. Meanwhile, Thiago Alcantara replaces defender Pau Torres.
All to play for in the second half of the extra time! Can Sommer hold on for 15 more minutes or will Spain score the winner?
Sommer has been in fine song in the first half of the extra time. Three vital saves to deny Alba, Moreno, and Oyarzabal and he has kept Switzerland in the contest. If they hang on for 15 more minutes, they can try to repeat their penalty shootout fairytale again...
Kevin Mbabu and Fabian Schar replace Silvan Widmer, who was on a yellow, and Denis Zakaria respectively.
Spain are expectedly dominating the ball right now with the Swiss down to ten men but they fail again to take the lead as Moreno shoots wide with his left foot. Minutes later, Alba shoots from distance but the effort is tipped upwards by the fingers of Sommer.
The first-half of the extra-time begins! Spain make another change: Oyarzabal replaces F. Torres in the front three.
Not over yet in St.petersburg as both the teams are tied at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes! Switzerland pulled themselves back into the contest thanks to Shaqiri's equaliser in the 68th minute before Freuler was sent off. Can the Swiss hold on for penalties?
After Moreno's surging run minutes back, Koke attempts a shot from outside the box but it is safely collected by Sommer. Switzerland are defending deep now. Both the teams opt for changes too: Fassnacht and M. Llorente come on for their teams.
Switzerland make a tactical change after the red card: Shaqiri is replaced by Djibril Sow. Gavranovic replaces Seferovic.