Spain Defeat Switzerland By 3-1, Italy Defeat Belgium By 2-1

Spain Defeat Switzerland By 3-1, Italy Defeat Belgium By 2-1

July 3, 2021, 8:27 a.m.

Spain will have to wait until later on to find out who they'll be facing in their semi-final on Tuesday, with Belgium and Italy kicking off shortly. Switzerland couldn't pull off another shock by beating Spain to reach their first-ever major tournament semi-final, and they're heading home.

Spain are the first team through to the semi-final after beating Switzerland 3-1 on penalties. The Swiss went behind through an own goal but equalised through Shaqiri before having Freuler sent off. They held on through extra time to take it to penalties but faltered where they thrived on Monday. Simon made two saves and Vargas missed, and Spain's three was enough to go through.

The youngster is cool as you like when he steps up to the spot and he slots the ball into the bottom-right corner. Sommer dives the wrong way and Spain win it!

MISS! Vargas steps up now, but the nerves are getting to the Swiss. He sends his effort flying over the crossbar. Spain can win it with the next one...

A great penalty from Moreno now as he fires his effort into the top-right corner. Sommer goes the right way again, but he wasn't getting near that. 2-1 Spain!

It's a great penalty from Olmo as he rifles his effort into the top-left corner. Sommer went the right way but was nowhere near it. 1-1.

Gavranovic puts Switzerland ahead as he lifts his penalty into the top corner. Simon dives the wrong way, but wouldn't have got it anyway.

10-man Switzerland hold on and they're taking it to penalties for the second consecutive game. They'll feel they deserve this after the shift they put in and will be feeling confident after Sommer's heroics on Monday. Spain had so many chances to win it in extra time, but they just couldn't find a way past the keeper. They don't have the best recent record from the penalty spot, but Luis Enrique will be hoping they can change that now.

Italy Defeat Belgium by 2-1 In Euro 2020

The Manchester City star played through the pain as the Red Devils crashed out in the quarter-final

Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he played with torn ankle ligaments throughout Belgium's Euro 2020 exit to Italy, as the Azzurri emerged as 2-1 victors in the quarter-final clash in Munich.

Superb first-half finishes from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne proved to be enough for Roberto Mancini's men to knock out the world's top-ranked side at Allianz Arena.

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A Romelu Lukaku penalty at half-time kept Robert Martinez's side close throughout, but Belgium fell short in perhaps their final chance to hand their golden generation some much-coveted silverware - and now De Bruyne, an injury doubt pre-match, has confirmed that he was not fully fit despite featuring from the start for the Red Devils.

What has been said?

"For me personally it has been four or five weird weeks. But I especially want to thank the medical staff," De Bruyne said on UEFA.com.

"It was a miracle that I played today because there was definitely damage to my ankle. A tear in my ligaments. But I felt responsibility to play for my country today. Too bad I couldn't do more."

Further pressed on the overall result, De Bruyne added that he felt Belgium gave it their all in defeat, adding to BBC Sport: “I think we tried everything to win that match

“They scored a fantastic goal, but the first one may have been a mistake on our part.

“They had more possession, and the ball didn’t go in for us, which is a shame. Getting eliminated is always a disappointment.”

Courtois admits loss 'hits hard'

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois further expanded on his side's defeat, also telling BBC Sport: “This hits hard. But we knew it was going to be a tough game."

Referencing their own chances and Italy's two finishes, in particular Barella's impressively orchestrated solo finish, the shot-stopper further acknowledged that his team could have perhaps done better and that they were bested by a worthy victory in the end.

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“We had two opportunities but their keeper made a good save and I think we gave the first goal away a bit too easily," he added. "It really could have gone either way, but Italy deserved to win here.”

Belgium meanwhile will be forced to consider their standing after failing to transform their number one status in the FIFA World Rankings into a major honour, or at the very least another top-four finish following their third-place finish at Russia 2018.

Italy meanwhile march on to the semi-finals at Wembley, marking their furthest run in a major tournament since Euro 2012, where they will face Spain in a rematch of that competition's final nine years on.


Source: Goal.com

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