Euro 2020: 'What a game. What a tournament' — Twitter reacts to Switzerland and Spain's dramatic wins
Switzerland eliminated world champions France with a penalty shootout win while Spain knocked Croatia out with help of extra time goals.
Switzerland players celebrate after beating France. AP
Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer made the biggest save of his life against one of the best players in the world as his team secured a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over World Cup champion France on Monday and a spot in the quarter-finals of a major football tournament for the first time in 67 years. The match had finished 3-3.
Sommer dived to his right to save the final penalty by Kylian Mbappé, the young France forward who became a superstar at the last World Cup by scoring in the final.
This after France had taken a 3-1 lead by the 75th minute and Switzerland looked like were going out of the tournament. But then Haris Seferovic scored in the 81st minute and substitute Mario Gavranovic made it 3-3 with only seconds remaining to take the game into the extra time and then to the penalty shootout.
Earlier, Spain defeated Croatia 5-3 to reach the last eight. Maria Pasalic forced extra time with a comeback goal for Croatia in the 92nd minute to make it 3-3. But, Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored for Spain in the extra time to hand their team a thrilling win.
The exit of world champions France and the dramatic victory of Spain evoked exhilaration and pain on Twitter.
SCENES. #EURO2020 https://t.co/6fn68S95G3 pic.twitter.com/NQipObKHM1
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 28, 2021
WHAT DRAMA!
Morata + Oyarzabal = Spain heroes! #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/VUrZyzghbE
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 28, 2021
2 GAMES.
14 GOALS.
COMEBACKS.
GOLAZOS.
EXTRA TIME.
PENALTIES.
UNDERDOG WINS.WHAT A DAY OF FOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/Mj2g3UBVCH
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 28, 2021
Lighting strikes twice for France.
It happened again.
Last time the betting favorite entering the Euros were eliminated without winning a knockout round match?
2004 France, who lost to Greece -- the eventual champion pic.twitter.com/slqIDdMqL3
— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) June 28, 2021
And the great day of football was enough for some to declare Euro 2020 as the "best summer tournament".
It's official (in my world)
The best summer tournament I remember #EURO2020
⚽
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) June 28, 2021
Wow
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) June 28, 2021
What a game. What a tournament. What a day. What a Sommer.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 28, 2021
Michael Owen thinks England will win Euro 2020!
What a day of football. I’m going to have to revise my predictions now that France are out You guessed it ……. It’s coming home
— michael owen (@themichaelowen) June 28, 2021
Will Zinedine Zidane replace Didier Deschamps as France coach?
Florentino Perez, three days ago.
“Zinedine Zidane dreams of being the French National Team's coach. I’m sure he will achieve it”. #France...now the French Federation will have to make key decision on Deschamps, looking at next World Cup - protect Didier or go with Zizou.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2021
Swiss fan wins the internet: Agony to euphoria in a space of few minutes was best captured by the reactions of a fan during the France-Switzerland game.
If someone asks you why you love football, just show them this Switzerland fan... pic.twitter.com/fyNy2h5e72
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 28, 2021
Whatever happens next, we are absolutely delighted for the Swiss man who removed his shirt and screamed as loud as he could. That looked great.
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) June 28, 2021
Mbappe apologised for missing the penalty and found support from Pele.
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 28, 2021
Keep your head up, Kylian! Tomorrow is the first day of a new journey, @KMbappe.
— Pelé (@Pele) June 28, 2021
Switzerland and Spain won from impossible situations.
Both Spain and France reached exactly a 99.2% win probability when up by 2 goals, according to ESPN's win probability model.
That means that the likelihood of what has transpired today (both teams not winning in 90 minutes) was .0064%. pic.twitter.com/Ui8DFS7hxj
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 28, 2021
With inputs from AP
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