Stuart's Euro 2024 Series 28: Quarter-Finals 3 & 4

Match 47 - England 1-1 Switzerland
Some pundits and reporters would have you believe this was an England match for the ages. The truth is it was dull and stodgy and the team required another moment of magic to rescue it from being knocked out inside regular time.

When Swtizerland took the lead on 75 minutes form a pass across the six-yard box - which Embolo squeezed home despite the defender being right on him - it was difficult to envisage an England goal arriving. Just five minutes later Buyako Saka cut inside two defenders and, from just outside the edge of the box, rifled a shot into the far bottom corner of the goal.

Chances were sparse in the remaining time played and once again England found themselves in a EURO's penalty shoot out. Five perfectly placed strikes meant Pickford's save of Manuel Akanji's first attempt for the Swiss was decisive and England are in a third Semi-Finals in four tournaments.

Match 48 - Netherlands 2-1 Türkiye
An off the pace Netherlands were punished by a bright and hard working Türkiye who were still enthused after their progression to the Quarter-Finals. Had they made more of some other opportunities then Netherland's equaliser on 70 minutes could have been to little to late. But it wasn't, and more pressure saw the equaliser move to a lead when an own goal was induced just six minutes later.

But Türkiye refused to surrender that Semi-Final berth without a fight. In the last fifteen minutes Netherlands Verbruggen had to pull off several fines saves, and be ready to stand team-mates a few beers for a couple of fine goal-line clearances.

Türkiye's despair was palpable, Netherland's will already be thinking about how to utilise England's dullness against them.

Next time there'll be a small round up of the Quarter-Finals and a preview of the Semis

text by stuartcturnbull art by UEFA & altered by stuartcturnbull