Gareth Southgate and England face a stiff test when they take on Switzerland in their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash. Murat Yakin’s Switzerland are notorious giant-killers who will look to stop Gareth Southgate and his Three Lions before they progress further in competition.
This match may go to extra time or penalties; if scores are tied after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will decide the victor.
In this article, we will discuss the main points of England National Football Team vs Switzerland National Football Team Timeline.
England vs. Switzerland
An opportunity for semi-final qualification stands between England and Slovenia as they square off in an important quarterfinal matchup. England are fresh off an amazing comeback against Slovakia where Jude Bellingham’s bicycle kick and Harry Kane’s extra-time header saved Gareth Southgate’s job with victory.
Kieran Trippier started on the left in a back three, with Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka joining him from Ezri Konsa to form an unusual back four formation for England – though it could make sense given that Newcastle United defender Jonathan Taarabt emphasized communication among defenders as part of his prematch speech, so this new arrangement can easily change into more conventional back three formation if necessary.
Start of play is calm with both teams being cautious, giving each side time to adapt. Konsa has already shown his versatility as a backline defender by making two excellent challenges and clearing a dangerous cross from Remo Freuler. He even dispossessed Switzerland midfielder Remo Freuler during set piece buildup – clearly making an impactful statement of intent!
Breel Embolo had the opening chance of the half, but Jordan Pickford easily saved his low shot. Switzerland then took the lead in the 75th minute when Yann Sommer saved Dan Ndoye’s low drive before Bukayo Saka levelled with an ambitious left-footed shot which hit both posts before rolling in.
As extra time begins, both teams are creating opportunities, but it remains hard to tell who will break through. Declan Rice had his fizzing strike from outside the box brilliantly saved by Sommer while Xherdan Shaqiri clipped a post directly from a corner kick by England Xherdan Shaqiri had one direct from corner kick hit post by England as they moved closer towards penalties which will likely go the Three Lions way as they have won all previous penalty shootouts while Switzerland lost three out of their four in major tournaments.
Predictions
England will look to avoid another shock after their poor showing against Slovakia in the last 16, and Switzerland look poised for another upset. Murat Yakin’s side proved formidable against defending champions Spain, so will likely put Gareth Southgate’s tactics through another test in Dusseldorf.
The Three Lions have won all five of their previous encounters against Switzerland, most recently a 2-1 friendly win in March 2022 and 6-5 on penalties following a goalless draw during last year’s inaugural Nations League Finals third-place play-off third-place play-off third-place play-off third-place play-off third-place play-off third place playoff final third-place play-off third-place play-off third place play-off match at Nations League Finals last year. England are slight +120 favorites according to Bet365’s implied win probability market while Switzerland are +290 underdogs (25%); finally the draw is priced at +190 (33.3%)
Harry Kane and Luke Shaw will look to build on their impressive performances at Euro 2024 by adding goals against Switzerland. Both players have been key threats throughout their games for England; as will Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham, who could control possession and create chances in midfield respectively for England.
As hosts, it would be a remarkable accomplishment for them not to crack a Switzerland defence that has conceded just one goal from its four matches this tournament. Switzerland defenders must remain alert as Kane and Shaw may attempt to break through their midfield to put extra strain on them and create chaos in their defensive line.
As this game heads towards penalties, a missed opportunity from Shaqiri could prove pivotal. He launched a powerful long-range shot which narrowly missed its mark.
Gareth Southgate will likely make several adjustments for this match, likely starting Ezri Konsa in central defense in lieu of Marc Guehi who has been suspended, as well as offering Granit Xhaka – who recently passed fit after suffering an apparent knee injury scare – a starting role.
Head-to-Head Record
England and Switzerland have met nine times before; England won seven of those encounters while Switzerland earned two victories. Since 2024, however, neither side has played one another.
At half-time, England and Switzerland remain tied at 0-0. Both teams had multiple chances to score but couldn’t convert. The second half will certainly prove more competitive as both teams will look for victory.
Gareth Southgate will be under great strain going into this match, having lost his last two matches. Losing this one would be especially humiliating and will require making changes to his lineup in order to turn things around and turn fortunes in their favour.
Both teams boast strong defensive records but have yet to score within 45 minutes of this match-up. Whoever scores first will likely advance further in competition.
England will face pressure in their next round against Switzerland to produce an outstanding performance, so players will need to step up. They should become more inventive in midfield and position attacking players more effectively.
This match provides the England players with a vital opportunity to demonstrate that they can compete at this level and beat top nations. Both teams will be fighting hard to advance to the semi-finals.
England defeated Switzerland 5-3 on penalties following an nerve-jangling 1-1 draw at full time, thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decisive spot kick winning the shootout, while Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham scored for England while Fabian Schar missed his penalty and Jordan Pickford made an outstanding save to deny Manuel Akanji penalty kicks. England will face either Holland or Turkey in their semifinal matchup; with Holland boasting an edge due to a higher goal difference than Switzerland it should make for an exciting matchup before reaching Berlin final on July 14. Stay tuned! Stay tuned! For updates!
Schedule
England versus Switzerland is one of the most anticipated quarter-final matches, as both teams should produce an exciting and entertaining contest; the outcome will depend on how their attackers fare as neither has managed to create many clear chances yet.
Gareth Southgate’s England side displayed some signs of improvement during the first half, while their opponents from Switzerland started the second period much stronger, taking an early lead through Breel Embolo scoring in the 75th minute. That seeming spark of energy seemed to spur England onto an improvement that led them dominating in the final 15 minutes until eventually equalizing through Bukayo Saka scoring their equalizing goal.
After several late goals, the match progressed into extra time and then penalty kicks; both sides missed several chances and it ended 1-1; therefore the winner will advance to the semifinals.
Both teams will field their strongest lineups and it should be an even matchup between England and Mexico, though England should remain favorites due to their superior head-to-head record, more experienced roster and four wins from their last five road matches.
England is also the more likely to score goals in this matchup; having outscored Switzerland over their past five meetings, their goal tally could reach double figures.
England have two injury concerns ahead of this game: Declan Rice has a minor knee problem while Granit Xhaka has an adductor muscle strain. Both players are expected to play, though, so it will be interesting to see how they perform against former club teammates.