ST. PETERSBURG, July 2: Mikel Oyarzabal converted the decisive spot kick Friday to give Spain a spot in the European Championship semifinals following a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over Switzerland.
The match had ended in a 1-1 draw through extra time.
Oyarzabal scored past goalkeeper Yann Sommer, whose penalty save on France striker Kylian Mbappe’s shot in a shootout in the round of 16 had put Switzerland into the quarterfinals at the tournament for the first time.
Spain’s players and coaching staff poured onto the field at Saint Petersburg Stadium to celebrate with Oyarzabal as many from the Switzerland team fell to their knees inside the center circle.
Spain will play either Belgium or Italy in the Euro 2020 semifinals on Tuesday at Wembley Stadium in London.
The team is two wins away from emulating the country’s golden generation, which won European titles in 2008 and 2012.
Sergio Busquets and Rodri failed to convert in the shootout for Spain, which has missed its last five penalties in normal time.
Switzerland made all five from the spot against World Cup champion France but failed with three of its four attempts this time.
Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Vargas all failed to score.
After the wild fluctuations of “Manic Monday,” when the teams won chaotic games in the round of 16 that both needed extra time and featured a combined 14 goals, their quarterfinal match was perhaps unsurprisingly a more laboured affair punctuated by big moments.
Among them was the red card to Remo Freuler, whose studs connected with the ankle of Moreno in a sliding challenge.
Yet a rearguard effort — requiring a string of diving saves by Sommer and a number of last-ditch blocks by sprawling defenders — kept the Spanish at bay in the extra 30 minutes.
Substitute Gerard Moreno, in particular, squandered four chances by poor finishing or the acrobatics of Sommer, though the striker made amends by converting one of Spain’s kicks in the shootout.
In normal time, the Swiss missed the energy and authority of suspended captain Granit Xhaka.
They initially lacked the spark they had against France early on and were unable to keep Spain from settling into its hypnotic passing rhythm despite the support of their cowbell-clanking fans.
Denis Zakaria — Xhaka’s replacement — had the misfortune of slicing the ball into his own net in the eighth minute after Jordi Alba latched onto a corner from the right that had sailed over everyone’s heads in the area.
Zakaria looked distraught and was consoled by his teammates as they prepared to restart.
A defensive mix-up brought about the Xherdan Shaqiri’s equalizer in the 68th, which came just as Switzerland had started to threaten.
Aymeric Laporte came across to cover a pass over the top but touched the ball onto the leg of his center back partner, Pau Torres.
Freuler pounced on the ball and laid it off to Shaqiri, whose first-time shot crawled into the bottom corner. (AP)
