Switzerland Comes Back to Win on Mbappé’s Miss
In the second game of the day that looked finished entering the 80th minute, Switzerland rallied back from down 3-1 to force extra-time. The Swiss continued to hold strong during extra-time and France and Switzerland remained level all the way to penalty kicks. The Swiss won the coin toss and elected to kick first in PKs, and Mario Gavranović sank the first shot. The first 9 penalty kicks were made which left the young French Superstar, Kylian Mbappé, standing in front of the net needing to score. His shot was not ideal and was batted away by the Swiss keeper, Yann Sommer. France fell 4-5 in penalties, and what many people viewed as the favorites to win Euro 2020 have been eliminated in the round of 16.
How We Got to Penalty Kicks
Switzerland got off to a fast start, scoring in the 15th minute and continued to have an amazing half, going into the break still up 1-0. France then adjusted and controlled much of the second half, most notably between the 57th and 75thminute marks where they netted 3 goals in those 18 minutes. Karim Benzema scored France’s first goal in the 57th off of a pass from Mbappé in which he had two stunning touches to set himself up with a chip over the keeper’s shoulder. Benzema capitalized on another opportunity just moments on later when Antoine Griezmann sent a shot right at the Swiss keeper that ricocheted off of Sommer’s arms into a Benzema header. The onslaught continued in the 75th minute when Pogba showcased his world-class skill and sent a rocket into the top right corner of net from well beyond the 18-yard box.
With France up 3-1, Switzerland pushed hard to get back into the game immediately and Haris Seferović scored his second goal of the game on a powerful close-range header, giving Switzerland life. Just as the Swiss’ tournament looked like it was nearing the end, Gavranović tore through the middle of France’s defense and smashed the ball past Lloris into the bottom left corner. What once seemed like an unobtainable feat was now reality and the score was 3-3, eventually leading to one of the biggest upsets in Euro Cup history.
What’s Next For Switzerland?
The Swiss have reached the quarterfinals at a major tournament for the first time since the 1954 World Cup and will play Spain in Saint Petersburg, Russia on July 2nd for a spot in the semifinals.