In the cruelest of fashions, Switzerland was knocked out of EURO 2016 by Poland via a penalty shootout (5-4), and the Polish will meet Portugal in the quarterfinals.
Arsenal’s big summer signing Granit Xhaka was the only player who fluffed his lines from 12 yards out, slicing his left-footer wide of the post with the ‘keeper having gone the wrong way. Grzegorz Krychowiak scored the winning spot kick for Poland.
Swizterland lined up in the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation with Haris Seferović leading the line, while Poland was structured 4-4-1-1 with Arkadiusz Milik playing just off Robert Lewandowski.
Poland started off brighter as it dominated the opening exchanges albeit without the killer finish. Milik and Lewandowski were guilty of missing a plethora of chances. Attackers Jakub Błaszczykowski and Kamil Grosicki were running riot on the flanks, putting in incisive balls through the middle for the frontmen.
The Poles did finally break the deadlock through Blaszczykowski in the 39th minute. The right winger, scoring his second goal of the tournament, finished off a blistering counter attack that originated from the left flank.
Switzerland woke up in the second-half and forced Poland ‘keeper Łukasz Fabiański to make a string of world-class saves. The Swiss deservedly equalised with a stunning 18-yard overhead finish from Shaqiri — the former Inter Milan and Bayern Munich man showing brilliant technique to score (see picture) .
Despite the 120 minutes finishing 1-1, it was not for the want of attempts on goal.
All in all, there were 39 shots in the first 90 minutes of the game, more than any other game so far in this tournament. There were 11 more in extra time.
What let either team down was shooting accuracy, with only 12 shots on target between Switzerland and Poland.
Having reached the quarterfinals for the first time, Poland is just two wins from the final and its first hurdle is Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.
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