“He wasn’t being bullied” - Alan Shearer and Micah Richards salute England star during Euro 2024 quarter-final win vs Switzerland
England defeated Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after a nail-biting penalty shootout on Saturday, July 6. England were far from their best in the match and were almost on the cusp of elimination after Breel Embolo scored in the 75th minute for the Swiss. However, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka was there to save the day as he released a tracer bullet from his left foot to balance the tie at 1-1 just five minutes later.
However, BBC Sports pundits Micah Richards and Alan Shearer were impressed by a youngster in the England defense, Ezri Konsa. The Aston Villa defender was on the field for 78 minutes and showed impressive solidity and cool-headedness in the crunch moments of the game. The 26-year-old had two tackles, and two blocks and maintained an astonishing passing accuracy of 98%.
"Can you control your nerves? Can you do the basics very well? And he has done all of these things. I just think his overall game has been fantastic. He has been excellent, he really has," said Micah Richards about Konsa at the end of the first half.
Konsa pulled off a match-saving tackle on Breel Embolo in the 56th minute to stop the Swiss from going forward after a lethal cross into the penalty box.
"Brilliant from Ezri Konsa, he wasn’t being bullied,” commented Alan Shearer on BBC One after the crucial contribution from the 26-year-old.
It was only Konsa's second appearance in the tournament, having featured for 15 minutes off the bench against Slovaka in the Round of 16.
England scrapped through to the Euro 2024 semi-finals after Swiss disappointment in the penalty shootout
Switzerland were arguably better in the first 120 minutes of the game while Gareth Southgate's side looked lackluster at best. The attacking prowess of Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham wasn't coming through. England looked desperate for a plan and a moment of individual genius to get them through after going behind in the 75th minute.
The moment of brilliance came from Bukayo Saka in the 80th minute. He saved the Three Lions similar to what Jude Bellingham did in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 clash against Slovakia. However, that wasn't enough to stop the match from going to penalties.
Captain Kyle Walker called correctly in the toss and chose the end of the pitch with the English fans for the shootout. Chelsea's Cole Palmer converted his first spot kick by sending Yan Sommer in the wrong direction. However, the disaster for the Swiss happened in their first penalty kick by Manchester City's Manuel Akanji. The 28-year-old shot with neither power nor precision and it landed straight in the hands of a diving Jordan Pickford.
All other players from both sides converted their penalties and Akanji's blunder was enough to send the Swiss crashing out of Euro 2024. England will face the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on July 10.