Swiss shock France on penalty kicks in Euro 2020
Au revoir, France — this summer belongs to Yann Sommer.
Switzerland’s goalkeeper, who left in the middle of the European Championship’s group stage to be with his wife for the birth of their second daughter, made the biggest save of his life against one of the best players in the world.
Sommer’s play gave the Swiss a 54 penalty shootout victory over World Cup champion France in Euro 2020 on Monday in Bucharest, Romania, and a spot in the quarterfinals of a major soccer tournament for the first time in 67 years. The match had finished 33.
Sommer dived to his right to save the final penalty by Kylian Mbappe, the young France forward who became a superstar at the 2018 World Cup by scoring in the final.
“I think that everything we had in us, we left out on the field,” Sommer said. “I’m unbelievably proud of this team, how we’ve done it this evening.”
Sommer, who flew back to Germany after the team’s 30 loss to Italy to be home when his daughter was born June 16, made the decisive save on the 10th penalty after the previous nine had been successful.
The Swiss hadn’t reached the quarterfinals at a major tournament since they hosted the World Cup in 1954. Switzerland also ended a run of roundof16 exits at three. The Swiss were knocked out by Poland after losing a penalty shootout 54 at Euro 2016.
“It’s amazing,” Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka said. “We made history tonight; we are all very proud.”
The Swiss will next play Spain in the quarterfinals on Friday in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The SwitzerlandFrance match was the third in the round of 16 at Euro 2020 to go to extra time but the first to be decided by penalties.
Haris Seferovic put Switzerland in the lead with a header in the 15th minute as France struggled to work itself into the game. But that all changed early in the second half when the Swiss were awarded a penalty.
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the team’s captain, saved Ricardo Rodriguez’s spot kick in the 55th minute and seemed to wake up his teammates. Karim Benzema scored moments later in the 57th, and then again in the 59th to give France the lead.
Paul Pogba made it 31 in the 75th minute with a rightfoot shot from 20 meters, and it looked like the game was out of reach for Switzerland. But just as quickly as France had taken over the match, it let it go.
Seferovic scored on another header in the 81st minute and substitute Mario Gavranovic made it 33 with seconds remaining.
Spain 5, Croatia 3: In Copenhagen, Denmark, Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored in extra time as the Spaniards won the secondhighest scoring game in the history of the European Championship — trailing only Yugoslavia’s 54 win over France in the opening game of the inaugural tournament in 1960.
After Croatia midfielder Mario Pasalic’s goal tied the score 33, Morata netted what proved the winner in the 100th minute.
The Spain striker controlled a cross with one deft touch and then sent a rising shot past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic for his second goal of the tournament.
Oyarzabal doubled the lead three minutes later, receiving a pass in the middle of the area and holding off a defender before scoring.
“I don’t think there’s any coach in the world who wouldn’t admire a player like Morata,” Spain coach Luis Enrique said. “He dominates in the air, he scores goals, he is physically powerful. He is a striker we should really value.”
Croatia netted three goals for a second straight game but fell well short of replicating its feat of reaching the World Cup final in 2018.
Copa America: Uruguay beat Paraguay 10 in Rio de Janeiro to finish second in Group A and move into a quarterfinal against Colombia. Edinson Cavani scored from the penalty spot in the 21st minute for the only goal of the match . ... Lionel Messi scored twice as an Argentina team split between frequent starters and substitutes beat lastplace Bolivia 41. Messi broke Argentina’s alltime record with his 148th appearance for the national team.