Jordan Pickford always seemed likely to be needed to produce a big moment at Euro 2024 and a penalty shootout at some stage felt inevitable given the way England have been playing.
Three Lions fans have had to sit through a pair of lacklustre draws in the group stage and a last-16 win that needed a 95th-minute equalizer and then an extra-time winner to make it to their quarter-final with Switzerland.
This again proved to be another tense affair and when Breel Embolo scored with just 15 minutes remaining, many supporters feared the worst. But after Gareth Southgate responded with a triple change, his side were able to find an equaliser through Bukayo Saka and force extra time.
VIDEO How France Won The WORST Game Of Euro 2024
After 30 more goalless minutes it was penalties in what was England’s first shootout since they lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy on spot kicks.
After Cole Palmer coolly slotted home the first penalty, Jordan Pickford dived to his left to deny Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji and put England in the driving seat. A flawless set of efforts from Jude Bellingham, Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold sealed a 5-3 win, as Pickford’s save made the difference.
Following the shootout success, eagle-eyed fans on social media spotted Pickford’s secret weapon, as photographs showed that his water bottle was wrapped with a penalty shootout crib sheet, telling him which way to dive for every member of the Switzerland squad.
Some of England’s homework proved to be correct, as the instruction for Akanji was to ‘dive left’ and that’s exactly what Pickford did to make the save.
This was Pickford’s fourth penalty shootout with England and his third victory, following a 2019 Nations League win over the Swiss and the 2018 World Cup victory over Colombia when his save from Carlos Bacca ensured that England snapped a run of five consecutive shootout defeats that started when Southgate missed against Germany in the Euro 96 semi-final.
England will now face the winner of the Netherlands and Turkey's quarter-final in Dortmund on Wednesday evening, with a place in the Euro 2024 final at stake.
More Euro 2024 stories
'Pressure is for tyres!' Everything the BBC pundits said after England's greatest-ever penalty shootout
England improvement at Euro 2024 still leaves much to be desired after Switzerland scares - yet they have us dreaming again
Did Jude Bellingham refuse to be substituted? After subs board mix-up fans suggest England star used his 'aura' to change Gareth Southgate's mind
