Euro 2020: Switzerland impresses French champions on penalties | Euro2020 News

Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer saved Kylian Mbappe’s shot to make it 5-4 and advance to the quarterfinals.

Switzerland beat the French world champions 5-4 on Monday in a penalty shootout in the last 16 of the 2020 Euro Cup as Kylian Mbappe missed a decisive shot after a 3-3 draw in Bucharest.

Mario Gavranovic equalized in the 90th minute as Switzerland scored from two goals before Yann Sommer saved Mbappe to book Switzerland a place in the quarter-final bout against Spain.

Haris Seferovic gave Vladimir Petkovic a 15-minute lead over Switzerland, but Hugo Rodriguez’s penalty was well-received by Hugo Lloris early in the second half.

Karim Benzema, after five-and-a-half years in international exile, recalled to the French national team for the tournament and then made a double-edged sword to re-launch the 2016 Euro Cup finalists.

Paul Pogba’s tremendous curling effort was 3-1, but Switzerland forced extra time when Seferovic got his second game before Gavranovic equalized in the final minute.

Switzerland converted their five penalties before Sommer turned right before throwing back Mbappe’s shot as the Swiss won a major knockout round in 83 years.

French coach Didier Deschamps has controversially changed Benzema, Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to a 3-4-1-2 formation designed to get the best out of his three attackers, but it was Seferovic who surprised the Swiss.

Steven Zuber used the space provided by Rodriguez’s overlap after Seferovic overtook Lloris on a left-wing cross after climbing too easily over Clement Lenglet.

After France failed to test Sommer in the first half, Deschamps left three experiments in the back, taking Lenglet out and returning Kingsley Coman to a more popular 4-4-2.

But France owed Lloris a chance to avoid further trouble for the team. A lung escape by Zubere eventually put a penalty on the Swiss when he was thrown out by Benjamin Pavard.

Argentine referee Fernando Rapallini pointed to it immediately after a VAR review, but Lloris turned to his right to thwart Rodriguez’s attempt – the seventh penalty of 15 taken in the tournament.

Shortly afterwards, Benzema gave France a quick boost, tying the two-goal basket 2-2 with Portugal in the group stage as he dragged Mbappe’s pass brilliantly to move up to the Sommer level.

The Real Madrid striker headed for France two minutes later when Griezmann’s effort was sidelined by Sommer, but Benzema was waiting head-to-head.

French Presnel Kimpembe is pictured after the match]via Franck Fife / Pool Reuters]

Pogba’s excellent 25-yard strike had France on the verge of the last eight, but Seferovic made an excellent delivery to substitute Kevin Mbabu with nine minutes left to give Switzerland hope.

Gavranovic left the goal out of play, but there was no doubt that his last-minute equalizer was passed by Presnel Kimpembe and went beyond Lloris.

It is noteworthy that Coman almost got the win with the final shot, injuring the crossbar and ending the injury time.

A sick Benzema was removed at the start of the extra time from Olivier Giroud before Sommer brilliantly overturned Pavard.

Pogba released Mbappe with a punchy pass through the Swiss defense, but Paris Saint-Germain striker opened the scoring as Sommer flew to the right with Giroud’s header before his heroic penalties.