Sports
Euro 2020: Emotions After Switzerland Sends France Out
By Ekene Dike
English football legend, Gary Lineker was among football lovers who on Monday took to twitter to share some of the most remarkable emotions after Switzerland produced the stunner of Euro 2020 to ease defending champions France out of the tournament.
Switzerland booked a place in the quarter finals with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over world champions France in Bucharest.
Vladimir Petkovic’s men fought back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 and force extra time before Kylian Mbappe saw his penalty saved by Yann Sommer after the first nine kicks were all scored.
The victory sees Switzerland reach a major quarter finals for the first time since 1954 and leaves the world champions with plenty to ponder as they came up well short after being tagged as heavy favourites to lift the trophy.
On what proved to be an incredible night of drama, Haris Seferovic opened the scoring for the Swiss on 15 minutes when he rose majestically to guide a firm header into the corner.
France were far from their best and struggled to adapt to a less familiar 3-5-2 system, leaving them with little to show from a first 45 where the Swiss deservedly went in at the break ahead.
Didier Deschamps reverted to a more familiar shape soon after and the game seemed to turn in a crazy four-minute spell.
Hugo Lloris was the initial hero as he saved Ricardo Rodriguez’s penalty to stop the Swiss pulling clear. The reprieve seemed to inspire Didier Deschamps’ men and Benzema levelled with a sensational touch to take Kylian Mbappe’s flick from behind him and then clip home a superb equaliser.
France then stormed in front on 59 minutes when Benzema headed in a rebound after a wonderful link-up between Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann carved the Swiss open once more.
Paul Pogba curled in a stunning third from long range but Switzerland weren’t done.
Seferovic set up a nervy finale when he nodded in his second of the game nine minutes from time before substitute Mario Gavranovic forced extra-time with a brilliant last-gasp shot into the bottom corner.
The French had chances to win it but could not find the finish and Mbappe was the only one to blink in the shoot out to cap a tournament he will want to forget in a hurry.
Switzerland will now meet Spain in the last eight on Friday evening.
See reactions:
What a game. What a tournament. What a day. What a Sommer.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 28, 2021
What a game. What a comeback.
Congratulations #SUI
— Andy Kenyon (@Noynek) June 28, 2021
WHAT A GAME.Pogba vs Xhaka . Switzerland We all were with you.
Mbappe decided not to test any part of the net at all
Whoever said Monday is boring should have stayed awake today#EURO2020 #FRASUI #Mbappe #Switzerland #Pogba
Tommorow has to live up to what today offered
— SIR MUSTAPHA HASSAN (@SIRMUSTAPHAHAS1) June 28, 2021
ADVANCES!!
What a game to watch!#EURO2020 https://t.co/dpMAp9uJ2X
— Kyle Outridge (@Kyle_Outridge) June 28, 2021
Other reactions to Switzerland exiting France:
What a game! https://t.co/wtN7glOjST
— Chris Berry (Playing Nier Replicant) (@chris_b_dnd) June 28, 2021
Wow! Has to be one of the great games of all time! World Cup champions knocked out by the defiant Swiss! So World champs out, Euro holders out and World Cup runners up out. Can’t wait for Germany v England now! #FRASUI
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 28, 2021
The plucky underdogs go through!
What a game.#suifra #SUI players of African descent include:
Mvogo & Embolo – #Cameroon
Akanji – #Nigeria
Lotomba & Mbabu – #DRCongo
Zakaria – #SouthSudan
Sow – #Senegal pic.twitter.com/oEQi2sbueD
— Henry Makiwa (@makiwahenry) June 28, 2021
#SUI have won a penalty shoot-out for the first time in their history.
It just had to be against the reigning World Cup champions. pic.twitter.com/aVnarGalnH
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 28, 2021
Switzerland have reached the quarter-final for the first time since 1954! #FRASUI #SUI #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/8TiTXUSLzu
— i sport (@iPaperSport) June 28, 2021
Switzerland, you have done yourselves proud.
What a team.#EURO2020 | #SUI #FRA pic.twitter.com/KOEMxnzZiC
— Goal (@goal) June 28, 2021
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