Oh the agony, oh the pain, but ultimately, OH THE JOY!!  That sort of sums up what all England fans have to go through when we watch our team play these days.  It was better, much better at times, but our countrymen do have a tendency to put us through the wringer during this tournament, but then, I suppose we should all be used to it by now.

England, playing a back three, looked a little vulnerable in the early stages as the defence adapted, but they did look more determined in other areas of the field, pressing well and not allowing the Swiss to do the same.  In the early minutes it was end to end, and Bukayo Saka, lively throughout, put in a good cross which went wide and was then caught offside in England's next attack.  At the other end, Kobbie Mainoo made an important interception as the Swiss attacked at pace.  In the 9th minute two dangerous crosses came in quick succession as the Swiss came forward in numbers, but England weathered that and then Harry Kane and Saka also found themselves in good positions.  Saka's next cross found Declan Rice, but his shot was blocked.

Then, shortly after that Mainoo was set up by Kane, hit a shot well, but again it was blocked by a defender.  At this stage both defences looked disorganised and both sets of forwards were probing well without finding that final touch.  On 21 minutes a good pass by Phil Foden found Saka and he won a corner, that found Kane but his header was wide.  Four minutes later England defended well as Ezri Konsa did well to block a Swiss shot.  On 29 minutes Saka wins another corner but sadly, we rarely do anything with our corners.  This one actually ended up back with Jordan Pickford.  Fabian Schar is then booked for body checking Jude Bellingham and then a blatant handball on the edge of the Swiss box is not given by the Italian referee.

As usual there was the passing to each other across the back and it only takes just one error during this ploy to give a goal away, luckily, both sides insisted on doing those ridiculous passing movements.  Just before the break Schar blocked another Saka shot and as the England pressure mounted, Mainoo was almost in after another fine run by Saka.  At the break England just about edged the half but there was little threat to either goal and neither goalkeeper had been called upon to make a save.  It was still anyone's game.

England made a bright start to the second half and so nearly scored in the first minute after the restart.  Once again though the final pass evaded the England attackers.  On 51 minutes, finally we had a shot on target although it was an easy save for Pickford from Breel Embolo's shot.  The match still tended to be end to end and nip and tuck, and when danger threatened England both Konsa and Pickford were able to clear.  A long ball from the back saw the Swiss breaking quickly, but Saka did really well to block the eventual cross out for a corner.

England went through a spell when they could not regain possession from the determined Swiss team and on 63 minutes Mainoo again made a vital interception to end a dangerous attack.  The Swiss then made two substitutions and on 66 minutes Michel Aebischer shot high over the bar with another half-chance.  A minute later Kane was harshly booked as he was felled, yet his opponent was the one who fell to the ground screaming!  I hate it when these players go down screaming as you know immediately that they are not hurt.  And sure enough as soon as they see their opponent receive a yellow card they are up and about like a spring chicken!

In the 75th minute, and it had been threatened, Switzerland took the lead.  A cross came in from the right, John Stones stretched out a foot to try and clear but the ball continued its path across goal and there Embolo stretching himself to gain the vital touch.  It was bedlam at the Swiss end as their fans went wild. But they don't know England like we do. Gareth Southgate responded by sending on Eberechi Eze and Luke Shaw for Konsa and Kieran Trippier and there was still plenty of time left.  Would England be able to make that count, well, with 10 minutes left we had the answer and it had to come from England's best attacker, Saka.

He picked the ball up on the right wing, and this time he was able to cut inside on his left foot and fire in a lovely strike that nestled inside the far post.  It was a goal we have seen him score so often for Arsenal, and this time it was in England's colours.  After the goal play became a bit tense all round as both sets of players were so determined not to make a mistake.  Two minutes from the end Ezi cut inside and shot but this time it went wide of the near post.  At the other end, right on 90 minutes, the Swiss had a chance but Dan Ndoye shot over.  After a period of nail-biting the ref blew his whistle and we were in to extra time.

In the first two minutes of that England never had a touch such was the Swiss ability to keep possession.  That ended with Schar shooting over Pickford's crossbar.  Five minutes in, it was England's turn to come close.  Rice, who had played a storming game, full of energy, fired in a great shot that brought the best out of Yann Sommer.  Unlucky!  Bellingham then went close twice in quick succession, one effort blocked and the other saved.  The agony was showing in the faces of the fans at both ends at this stage.

It was a frantic last five minutes of the extra period.  Hearts were in the mouth as Schar again shot over from a good position.  Trent Alexander-Arnold came on for Foden, who had also played well, and then Saka rescued another situation after a break down the right by Silvan Widmer, giving Switzerland a late corner.  Substitute Xerdan Shaqiri's kick curled in to the near post and actually hit the woodwork before being cleared by the under pressure England defence.  Right at the death Pickford had to make a fine save to stop a shot by Zeki Amdouni, who had only just come on.

And that was it, so now it was the dreaded penalties.  Cole Palmer stepped up to the plate first, and if he was any cooler he would have been in a fridge.  Great penalty, tucked away perfectly.  Up stepped Manuel Akanji for the Swiss.  We held our breath, I shut my eyes!  SAVED by Jordan, YOU BEAUTY!  Jude up next, no problem, and it was also no problem for Schar, and now it was Saka's turn.  All my thoughts were remembering the moment he missed in a previous tournament, but not this time, I was so delighted for the young man, if anyone deserved to score it was him.  Shaqiri made it 3-2 and then it was Ivan Toney's turn.  Another perfect kick, 4-2!

The pressure was on Amdouni, but you wouldn't have thought it, judging by his clinical kick.  So, all was down to the AA man to repair the damage!  Trent looked cool, I couldn't watch….

GET INNNNNN!!!!  Bless his cotton socks  We did it, we actually won through on penalties.  Cue mass hysteria in the England end of the stadium and all round our country too.  Fabulous.

And here's a fact just to wind you up, in 1966 we had a March General Election and Labour won with a big majority.  We all know what happened the following July don't we.  Could that be an omen I wonder?
     

Source Notes