The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
England finally wins shootout on big stage
England has endured much heartbreak in big-tournament shootouts over the years — but not this time as it defeated Colombia to advance to the quarterfinals. Also, Sweden edges Switzerland.
In a World Cup of surprises, England provided the latest by finally winning a penalty shootout. A long run of penalty misery on soccer’s biggest stage ended with a 4-3 shootout victory over Colombia, sending England to the quarterfinals for the first time in 12 years. Eric Dier scored the decisive kick after a scrappy game ended in a 1-1 draw, denying Colombia a second consecutive trip to the quarterfinals. “It was a nervous one,” Dier said. “I’ve never really been in a situation like that before.” England will next play Sweden in the quarterfinals on July 7 in Samara. It is the furthest England has progressed in any tournament since the David Beckham era, when a golden generation of players exited the 2002 and 2006 World Cups in the last eight. England is advancing in Russia after defending champion Germany was eliminated early and Argentina, Portugal and Spain went home in the round of 16. Harry Kane gave England the lead with a penalty kick in the 57th minute. But as the game entered the third minute of stoppage time, Yerry Mina headed in an equalizer. “To get knocked down at the end like we did at the end, it’s difficult to come back from that,” Dier said. “But we were ready for that. We were calm. We stuck to our plan.” • Shy, diminutive and without that distinctive ponytail, Emil Forsberg couldn’t be more different than the larger-than-life Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They share an ability to conjure something out of nothing on a soccer field, though, as Forsberg showed in leading Sweden into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years. Forsberg dropped his shoulder to create space at the edge of the area and scored with a deflected shot to earn the Swedes a 1-0 victory over Switzerland. “It brings tears to my eyes,” Forsberg said, “and makes me so proud.” The 26-year-old Forsberg arrived in Russia shouldering much of Sweden’s creative burden following the international retirement of Ibrahimovic, who ruled the national team for more than a decade and is the greatest player the country ever produced. Forsberg was quiet in the group stage but the attacking midfielder’s skills and slick movement stood out against Switzerland in an otherwise scrappy game between two of Europe’s less-decorated nations. “He has developed in terms of the holistic approach to his game,” Sweden coach Janne Andersson said. “Even if he doesn’t succeed in every dribble, in every part of his game he contributes in so many ways and he has those decisive moments.”