AFP, Bucharest
Switzerland defeated world champions France 5-4 on penalties in the last 16 of Euro 2020 on Monday as Kylian Mbappe missed the decisive spot-kick in the shootout following a thrilling 3-3 draw in Bucharest.
Mario Gavranovice qualised in the 90th minute as Switzerland came from two goals down before Yann Sommer saved Mbappe’s penalty to book Switzerland a quarter-final clash against Spain.
“It was an incredible evening. I am so proud of the team,” said goalkeeper Sommer.
“At 3-1 nobody believed in us anymore, but before the match we said we'll fight until the end whatever happens.”
Haris Seferovic had given Vladimir Petkovic’s Switzerland a shock lead on 15 minutes but Ricardo Rodriguez’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Hugo Lloris early in the second half.
Karim Benzema, recalled to the France squad for the tournament after a five-and-a-half-year international exile, then struck a quick-fire double to put the Euro 2016 finalists back on track.
Paul Pogba’s sensational curling effort made it 3-1, but Switzerland forced extra time as Seferovic grabbed his second of the game before Gavranovic levelled in the final minute.
Switzerland converted all five of their penalties before Sommer dived to his right to turn away Mbappe's kick, as the Swiss won a major tournament knockout tie for first time in 83 years. “The two goals came very quickly after the missed penalty. For normal players it's almost impossible to come back from, but today we were a great team and everyone gave it everything,” said Petkovic.
Lloris conceded France paid the price for failing to hold on to their two-goal lead.
“It’s painful, even more so after a penalty shootout where it becomes a lottery,” said Lloris. “The only regret we can have is that at 3-1 we need to manage the match better. We've been able to close it out in the past few years.”
France coach Didier Deschamps controversially switched to a 3-4-1-2 formation designed to extract the best from his attacking trio of Benzema, Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, but it was instead Seferovic who gave the Swiss a surprise lead.
Steven Zuber used the space afforded by Rodriguez’s overlapping run, clipping in a left-wing cross that Seferovic headed past Lloris after rising all too easily above Clement Lenglet.
After a dismal first half, in which France failed to test Sommer, Deschamps ditched the experiment of three at the back, hauling off Lenglet and introducing Kingsley Coman while reverting to a more familiar 4-4-2.
