Bukayo Saka shows England a new way to stand two games from Euro 2024 glory

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Louise Thomas

Editor

It isn’t always convincing, it is often confusing, but the results are as clear as Bukayo Saka’s shot, and resolve: England are in Gareth Southgate’s third major semi-final after a shootout victory over Switzerland. They are now two games from glory, even if the football doesn’t always evoke that feeling. That won’t matter to the squad and it often doesn’t matter to a tournament. England have found a way. Through that, Gareth Southgate may have found a team. The introduction of Luke Shaw may end up as influential as anything else in this tournament, with a game that required others to make the difference.

Above all was Saka, who rescued England with a piece of individual brilliance, and then continued to bury the memory of Euro 2020 with another supreme penalty. To have one moment in a tournament is something great players aspire to. To have two in one game, one when your team really needs it, another with so much individual meaning, is the grandest sign of quality and character. Next was Jordan Pickford, who made the fateful save from Manuel Akanji. That ended up being all that was required, as all of Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold slotted home with minimum fuss, and maximum precision.

That was more than could have been said for the game itself. This was a gruelling 1-1 draw that forced both sides to physical and emotional limits. Switzerland might not fall into that bracket of “the first elite side England play” but they were by far the toughest test yet. They posed big questions, and almost caught England in a trap.

Southgate had a lot to figure out. There may still be questions over whether he found all the right solutions given it again needed individual moments around so many dangerous Swiss chances – as well as a lot of luck – but that won’t matter for now.

There is a semi-final to prepare for. For all the criticisms and doubts about this campaign, not to mention the obvious talent, that is something that shouldn’t be easily overlooked. It is an immensely consistent record, even if it isn’t always a consistent performance.

England avoided falling into a trap here, and Switzerland manager Murat Yakin had laid a very dangerous one.

The Swiss approached the game in a way that was the total opposite of their tenacious display against Italy. This felt very deliberate, even though England had been improved. It was like Yakin wanted to set up in a low block because he knew it could frustrate Southgate’s side. That will be something to note.

It was emphasised by how Switzerland didn’t have a proper shot in the first half, but neither did England. Saka was doing so much down the right, but his teammates made little of it.

The left side was still lacking in proper punch.

England weren’t really playing at any kind of pace outside of Saka and Kobbie Mainoo.

Harry Kane, again, was barely on the ball. He only managed nine touches in the first half. While you can understand Southgate’s logic in persisting with him given the goal threat, it’s difficult to understand the delay in changing it. Arguments will grow over whether he should be dropped.

This is something else that so stood out with England, too. Everything was so one-paced. The steady build-up was at the same speed as the counterattacks. The only flowing move came when Mainoo allowed the ball go through him with a beautiful turn. That was about it, though.

Amid such ponderousness, there were concerns about how confused England looked at the back on the rare occasions Switzerland decided to step it up.

It meant there were real consequences when Yakin’s side decided to step it up properly. They seized the initiative and control in the second half, constantly looking to get in behind those wing-backs.

They were getting more courageous, too, until it was like the trap was sprung. With England out of position, Dan Ndoye did what he’d been threatening all game. There was a burst, with the ball forced across goal. There was Breel Embolo to poke it home.

It felt so calculated from Switzerland, but did finally have the effect of bringing a more emotional response out of England. Southgate meanwhile finally made the substitutions required, bringing on Cole Palmer, Luke Shaw and Eberechi Eze. There still wasn’t yet the same attacking threat, but there was a greater intensity. They still needed individual inspiration. That was nothing less than Saka provided.

On 80 minutes, with England at last starting to build pressure, Declan Rice fed his Arsenal teammate the ball on the corner of the box. Saka decided to just seize the occasion himself, cutting in before unleashing from distance. The ball flew in off the post.

It had been England’s first shot on target, but what a shot. What a player.

The game was back level again, with Switzerland having only been ahead five minutes, but it now felt like a completely different type of match. Rice responded by immediately flying into a tackle. There was still a final scare before the end of full-time, as Ndoye seemed set for a diving header… only for Embolo to head it away.

There felt an inevitability about the game going the distance, but both managers did at least throw on potential match-winners in Ivan Toney and Xherdan Shaqiri.

The latter hit the frame of the goal from a corner, as the Swiss had the better of the extra-time chances. Maybe that’s because they sensed what was to come. There was a greater desperation about their efforts. There was less accuracy about their penalties. There was perfection about England’s. That was out of wholly imperfect performances. It still surpasses most of English football history. That says almost as much as a simple statement: Southgate is readying for another semi-final.