UEFA Nations League

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Nations League | Third Place Playoff

Jun 9, 2019 at 2pm UK

Switzerland Switzerland
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England

England win 6-5 on penalties

England beat Switzerland on penalties in UEFA Nations League third-place playoff

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 09 June 2019

England claim third place in the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a penalty-shootout win over Switzerland, with Sunday's game having finished goalless after 120 minutes.

England have prevailed from a penalty shootout with Switzerland on Sunday afternoon to secure third place in the UEFA Nations League.

Gareth Southgate watched his side hit the woodwork on multiple occasions during the 120 minutes in Guimaraes, leaving England with the opportunity to win their second shootout in the space of 12 months.

Jordan Pickford made himself the hero, first being one of 11 successive goalscorers from the spot before saving from Switzerland substitute Josip Drmic.

England toiled during the closing hour of their semi-final defeat to the Netherlands on Thursday, but the Three Lions almost went in front after two minutes when Harry Kane saw his lob diverted onto the top of the crossbar by Yann Sommer.

Switzerland had the better of the opening quarter-of-an-hour, however, despite their only opportunity coming through Remo Freuler, who had a left-footed volley from 16 yards comfortably saved by Pickford.

England responded through Dele Alli and Kane, who combined to tee up Raheem Sterling on the left-hand side of the area, but the winger could only fire straight at Sommer with his weaker left foot.

England's Danny Rose is booked during the UEFA Nations League third-place playoff against Switzerland on June 9, 2019. © Reuters

Danny Rose and Jesse Lingard both went into the book during a three-minute spell, although it did not prevent England from growing into the contest as Switzerland dropped deeper.

Southgate's side should have gone in front with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, but Alli somehow headed off target from 10 yards after meeting a delightful cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Both teams showed greater intent after the restart - perhaps eager to avoid an extra 30 minutes - and England soon went close again after positive work down the left.

A low cross from Rose was intended for Kane but it was Fabian Schar who diverted the ball towards the far corner, leaving Sommer to make a fine finger-tip stop to send the ball onto the post.

Switzerland went straight down the other end as Granit Xhaka saw a 15-yard effort parried away by Pickford, which suggested that both teams would produce an entertaining spectacle during the final half-hour.

However, constant goalmouth action did not materialise, and the most notable action during the closing quarter came when England had another goal chalked off through VAR.

England are denied - again - by VAR in the UEFA Nations League third-place playoff with Switzerland on June 9, 2019. © Reuters

Callum Wilson converted from close range after Alli had hit the crossbar with a header, but the Bournemouth man had committed a foul on Manuel Akanji in the build-up.

England continued to look the more likely to find a goal in the first period of extra time as Eric Dier sent a header wide of the near, an effort which was quickly followed by Alli seeing his own header brilliantly kept out by the impressive Sommer.

Ross Barkley and Jadon Sancho injected more pace into England's play after their introduction at the midway point, although England went closest through a Sterling free kick from 20 yards which struck the crossbar.

England would have felt hard done-by having created all of the best chances throughout the contest, but Southgate would have seen the benefits of his team being involved in another shootout, almost a year on from getting the better of Colombia at the World Cup.

Opportunities were provided to Harry Maguire, Barkley, Sancho, Sterling, Pickford and Dier - with each effort being confidently converted - before Pickford outwitted Drmic to dive to his right to make the decisive save.

SWITZERLAND (3-5-1-1): Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Elvedi; Mbabu, Fernandes (Zakaria 61'), Xhaka, Freuler, Rodriguez (Drmic 87'); Shaqiri (Zuber 65'); Seferovic (Okafor 113')

ENGLAND (4-3-3): Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Maguire, Rose (Walker 70'); Delph (Barkley 106'), Dier, Alli; Sterling, Kane (Wilson 75'), Lingard (Sancho 106')