EURO 2020
The ‘away’ teams were the winners in the QUARTERFINALS
SPAIN
ITALY
DENMARK
ENGLAND
SWITZERLAND 1-1 SPAIN
Spain won in PKO
Yann Sommer’s goalkeeping heroics kept Spain out for most of the game. Sommer’s heroics sent the game into penalty kickoffs, despite Switzerland having to play with 10 men from the 77th minute.
Spain took an early lead in the 8th minute when Jordi Alba’s shot was deflected into the net. The equalizing goal for Switzerland came in the second half through Spanish defensive errors that presented Xhedran Shaqiri with a scoring opportunity he couldn’t miss.
Spain would have ended the tie in the regulation time if they had been more clinical in front of the Swiss goal.
Their experience in a penalty shootout against France in the ‘Round of 16’ and Yann Sommer’s goalkeeping heroics made Switzerland the favorite when the match reached penalty kickoffs. This Swiss advantage was also increased when Sergio Busquets missed the opening kick.
In the end, there were not a lot of clinical penalty takers on the day on both sides. Spain won 3- 1 on penalties.
BELGIUM 1- 2 ITALY
The ‘golden generation’ of Belgian football is without a silverware to point to.
Italy deservedly advanced to the semifinals after a 2-1 win against pre-tournament favorite (Belgium).
Italy’s first goal was diss allowed for offside, but that did nothing but inspire the team. Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo In Signe scored with amazing strikes to get Italy into a comfortable lead, before Romelu Lukaku converted from the penalty spot at the end of the first half to half the lead and breathe life into Belgium chances.
Belgium had their chances in the second half to settle the score, with Lukaku missing the best of those chances.
CZECH REPUBLIC 1-2 DENMARK
Patrick Schick scored his 5″ goal of the tournament, but that was not enough to get Czech Rep. the result to book a place in the semifinal.
Denmark used a 2-0 first-half lead to book their place in the semifinal.
UKRAINE 0-4 ENGLAND
At the 50th minute, it was clear that England was joining the Danes in the semifinal.
Raheem Sterling setup Harry Kane to open the scoring for the match to put England ‘1-0’ up in just four minutes.
At the restart, England’s lead was doubled when Harry Maguire headed in Luke Shaw’s free-kick to put England 2-0 up just a minute into the second half.
It only took four more minutes from England’s second goal for Shaw to get his second assist of the game and get Harry Kane to his second goal of the game. Jordan Henderson completed the goal scoring for the game and for England in the 63rd minute.
THE SEMIFINALS
July 6,2021
Italy vs Spain
July 7,2021
England vs Denmark
