Euro 2024: Alexander-Arnold wins penalty as England reach last four

Liverpool’s number 66 came off the bench in extra-time for his nation as the Three Lions progressed to the final four of the competition with Joe Gomez an unused substitute at par.

In an even affair in Dusseldorf, it was Switzerland who took the lead in the 75th minute through Breel Embolo’s close-range finish in the six-yard box.

England, however, equalized just five minutes later thanks to Bukayo Saka’s well-placed low kick from outside the area to send the game into extra time.

With the two sides unable to be separated after half an hour of added time, a penalty shoot-out was called for and it was Alexander-Arnold who provided the decisive effort from 12 yards to help his country to a 5-3 win on penalties.

Alexander-Arnold told BBC Sport after the game: “Unbelievable. They are the goals and objectives we have set for ourselves. (I am) a difficult opponent. Again, going back, (but) the team has a lot of character and a lot of belief and a lot of heart and spirit.

“We dug deep when it mattered most and (we) obviously got the shootout win. I knew it would be tight. I knew we were never going to run away with the game, although that would have been nice. Whatever it takes, no matter what, we win and that’s all that matters to us.”

On the winning penalty, he added: “It’s what we practise. That’s when a lot of graft goes in. There are moments I enjoy. When the gaffer says take one, the belly doesn’t drop.

“I love it, I practice it. I knew the spot and I knew I just had to execute it and I went and did that. All five penalties from us were great, Pickers (Jordan Pickford) with an amazing save for to start the shootout gives you this confidence.

“We train for these. You see every game so far has gone to overtime in the quarter-finals. It’s close margins, it was the best of margins today, but we managed to win.”

England will meet either Turkiye or Holland in the semi-finals on Wednesday night (20:00 BST kick-off).