Saka the star as England win shootout.

Change has been the word of the week in the UK, and after a poor display last time out, the England team were looking to get in on the action. Their performance, still not great, but they too have bucked a historical trend. In Gareth Southgate’s 100th game in charge, a first Euros shootout win since 1996.

Switzerland boss Murat Yakin named an unchanged XI after eliminating holders Italy a week ago.

Gareth Southgate, meanwhile, was forced to make a single alteration, Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa putting in a superb performance in place the suspended Marc Guéhi as England changed formation, matching the Swiss 3-4-2-1, as had been leaked in the press earlier in the week. There was still one surprise though, Kieran Trippier remaining on the left-hand side of defence, with Bukayo Saka the right wing back. Both left and right wing back are relatively unfamiliar positions for the Arsenal man, but the 22-year-old had been expected to start on the opposite side. Regardless, he still stood out as England’s brightest spark.

Those in white shirts looked more comfortable in possession in their new system, stifling Switzerland well with a man-to-man press. However, England too offered little in attacking threat throughout the first half, in which not a single shot on target was registered. With Trippier remaining on the left, they still lacked width, though Saka continued to provide it on the right, keeping left wing back Michel Aebischer guessing by both going inside, or round the outside and crossing. Most of England’s first half efforts were shots from range, with Southgate’s side often lacking anyone to connect with balls into the box as Harry Kane dropped deep on too many occasions.

The second half started in a similarly unspectacular fashion, although Breel Embolo did hit the target six minutes after the restart. Murat Yakin’s double substitution would bring the game to life, with the introduction of Silvan Widmer and Steven Zuber seeing Switzerland dominate for the first time in the match.

It was increasingly becoming clear to frustrated fans that Gareth Southgate would need to change something. England had lost control of the game. The spell of Swiss pressure would culminate in a goal. Having wandered forward from centre back to the edge of the England box Fabian Schär played a reverse pass through to Dan Ndoye. The Bologna forward played the ball across the six-yard box, for Embolo to turn in at the back post. Once again, England found themselves behind, and had just fifteen minutes to turn things around.

Gareth Southgate made three substitutions in the 78th minute, as England switched to a back four. Luke Shaw came on for his first appearance of the tournament and would play left back. Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer also entered the fray, with Kieran Trippier, Kobbie Mainoo and Ezri Konsa those replaced, after a little confusion.

England would restore parity within moments of the substitutions. Though the changes had come on the left-hand side of the pitch, the goal came from the right: Bukayo Saka cutting inside and drilling a low shot across goal and in off the post from 20 yards. If anyone deserved a goal, it was him.

Eberechi Eze, playing on the left wing, would fire well wide of the near post in the final ten minutes, whilst Fabian Schär’s tempting delivery from the right flank was met by a miscued Embolo header as no one could prevent the game from going to extra time.

In the first half of extra time, England had the better of the play. Declan Rice forced a great save from Yann Sommer who tipped the ball around the post to deny the midfielder from 30 yards. Jude Bellingham’s second attempt, following an initial blocked shot, was much simpler, the Inter ‘keeper making the catch to his right.

In the second half of extra time, mentions of penalties became frequent. So, when Harry Kane had to be taken off after being set off balance by Manuel Akanji before crashing into Gareth Southgate and tripping over some water bottles, concern ratcheted up. In Ivan Toney, England had a more than competent replacement.

Another player who came on at that point was Xherdan Shaqiri, a man with a tendency for the spectacular. And the number 23 would give England a fright when he hit the post directly from a corner.

In the final moments, Zeki Amdouni would force a strong parry from Pickford, before Silvan Widmer put the ball wide with a stretching volley. Penalties it was to be.

The Shootout

As memories of past heartbreak came flooding back to many fans, up stepped Cole Palmer. He scored nine penalties in the Premier League for Chelsea last season, and continued his fine form from the spot

For Switzerland, it was Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji. The defender’s effort was poor, low and just to the right, it was a fairly simple save for Pickford, aided by the information on his water bottle.

After a stutter during his run up, Jude Bellingham would place the ball into the bottom right corner to put England two up, before Fabian Schär went the same way to make it 2-1.

England’s third penalty taker: Bukayo Saka. As he made the long walk to the penalty spot, TV viewers were reminded of his decisive penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final, not that they needed to be. Saka has since become Arsenal’s regular penalty taker, and a good one at that, but there are few more pressurised moments in football than a penalty shootout. Given the added history, and the abhorrent racist abuse he received following Euro 2020 one would imagine that his head should have been spinning, sick with nerves.

Instead, Saka looked to have been the calmest person in Düsseldorf. It is hard to understate the strength of character it must have taken to step up, but that he did. If there were any remaining demons, they were exorcised with a precise left-footed finish into the bottom right corner. The beaming smile on his face said it all.

Xherdan Shaqiri would also deliver a high-quality penalty, whipping the ball into the right-hand side of the goal with so much pace that Jordan Pickford, who went the right way, had no chance.

Ivan Toney showed nerves of steel in finding the bottom left corner without even looking at the ball, meaning Zeki Amdouni would now need similar. If he missed Switzerland were out.

His brave decision to put his penalty down the middle paid off, with Jordan Pickford diving to his left. Swiss hopes now rested with Yann Sommer. But Trent Alexander-Arnold looked remarkably sharp for someone who had played just the final six minutes as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and England to Dortmund, where they will face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Analysis: Saka stands out again

Right winger, left winger, right wing back, left wing back, left full back. Wherever Gareth Southgate deploys Bukayo Saka, he is consistently England’s best wide man. In many ways his versatility could be curse, but in both his work rate and his dribbling ability, England’s number seven excels. Whether at left back, or on the right wing, his desire both to run at defenders and be England’s most progressive outlet, and to bust a gut, offering defensive support and tracking his runner is clear. His footballing intelligence shines through, with his passing vastly under appreciated too. The same can be said for the fact that he has the influence he does at Arsenal whilst often being marked by multiple defenders yet has topped the goal contributions chart at the Emirates for the past three seasons.

At a tournament in which England’s other attacking stars have had games in which they have been majorly off the boil, before popping up to grab the headlines, Saka has continued to play in a way that befits his name. In Yoruba, Bukayo means ‘God has added joy to my life.’ Way out in the lead in terms of progressive carries and progressive passes received, Bukayo Saka has been England’s most positive player all tournament, bringing moments of joy in a team that have otherwise been a dull watch for many. Amidst so much talk, he’s showed characteristic selflessness, doing whatever is best for the balance of the team. Simply getting his head down and getting on with his job with a smile on his face.

In the 100th game of the Gareth Southgate era, a man who also missed a decisive penalty in a European Championship game at Wembley, one of the defining features of his tenure was on show. There is a real togetherness and a calmness about England in the face of adversity, tension or nerves - an amazing team spirit. Not least embodied by Bukayo Saka.

England (3-4-2-1): Pickford (GK); Walker, Stones, Konsa (Palmer 78’); Saka, , Mainoo (Eze 78’), Rice, Trippier (Shaw 78’); Bellingham, Foden (Alexander-Arnold 115’); Kane (C) (Toney 109’).

Switzerland (3-4-2-1): Sommer (GK); Schär, Akanji, Rodriguez; Reider (Widmer 64’), Freuler (Amdouni 118’), Xhaka (C), Aebischer (Sierro 118’); Ndoye (Zakaria 98’), Vargas (Zuber 64’); Embolo (Shaqiri 109’).