Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on penalties
Jordan Pickford was England’s penalty shootout hero once again as Gareth Southgate’s men eventually overcame Switzerland to bring an exciting end to a tepid third-place play-off in the Nations League.Three days on from losing their semi-final to the Netherlands due to two defensive gifts and a narrow offside call, the Three Lions returned to a far quieter Estadio D Afonso Henriques for Sunday’s battle for bronze.Jordan Pickford was England’s heroGetty3
Jordan Pickford was England’s hero
Callum Wilson thought he had grabbed a late winner until the video assistant referee intervened in Guimaraes, where England dominated throughout only for the match to end 0-0 after 120 minutes.The match went to penalties and Pickford again came into his own in the shootout, denying Josip Drmic in sudden death after scoring his own spot-kick as the Three Lions won 6-5.It was a positive note at the end of a forgettable match that at least brings the team bronze medals and penalty confidence ahead of Euro 2020.England should have had the match wrapped up long before the shootout, though, with the Swiss goal frame rattled four times across the 120 minutes.Southgate’s men even thought they had snatched an 84th-minute winner through Wilson, only for VAR to spot his foul on Manuel Akanji.It meant an extra 30 minutes of the match no one wanted and eventually penalties, with Pickford emulating his last-16 heroics against Colombia at last year’s World Cup as England won another shootout.Gareth Southgate would have been pleased by his side’s resilienceGetty3
Gareth Southgate would have been pleased by his side’s resilience
It brought a welcome buzz at the end of a drab match that saw seven Southgate made changes, with John Stones among those going out as Harry Kane returned.Less than two minutes were on the clock when the Tottenham striker tried a chipped attempt from an acute angle, with goalkeeper Yann Sommer just able to tip on to the crossbar.It proved to be a rare moment of creativity in a first half that saw England dominate without punishing the Swiss.Raheem Sterling wasted a glorious chance in the 14th minute when put through by Kane’s nifty footwork and firing straight at Sommer.Mistiming his run on to a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross soon compounded matters, while Dele Alli became the next to waste an excellent ball by the Liverpool right-back as he powered a header over.Switzerland were creating precious little at the other end as they struggled to click into gear England continued in the ascendancy after the break.Kane’s unsettling presence saw Fabian Schar stretch to prevent him reaching a Danny Rose cross as the defender’s scuffed clearance was tipped on to the post by Sommer.It was not Raheem Sterling’s day in front of goalGetty3
It was not Raheem Sterling’s day in front of goal
Granit Xhaka saw a first-time strike denied by Pickford straight after but things soon slowed in a bumbling second half.Harry Maguire’s turn on the edge of his own six-yard box brought a rare moment to cheer after days of talk about playing it out from the back, before there finally seemed to be a breakthrough in the 84th minute.Alli met with a Sterling cross with a header that crashed back off the frame of the goal and Wilson reacted quickest to fire home from close range.Relief and joy soon became frustration, though, as VAR would ruled out a late England winner, with referee Ovidiu Hategan checking the monitor and seeing Wilson’s foul on Akanji.Xhaka blocked before the match entered extra time, which started with Sterling and Eric Dier having half-hearted efforts.Sommer did superbly when England threatened next, denying Alli before stopping Sterling’s follow-up. Wilson was thwarted by a late tackle in the second period, which saw Sterling whack the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick three minutes from time.It was the last chance and the match went to penalties.Maguire and Ross Barkley took different approaches but scored their spot-kicks, as did Jadon Sancho and Sterling, despite Sommer going the right way.Pickford took off his gloves to fire a spot-kick of his own home, but he was unable to stop any of the first five Swiss efforts as the shootout went to sudden death.Eric Dier struck home the first before Drmic was denied, with Pickford diving to his right to paw away the strike and seal victory.


Nations League: England beat Switzerland 6-5 on penalties after 0-0 draw • Jordan Pickford scored one penalty and saved another as England beat Switzerland in a shootout to finish third at the Uefa Nations League finals.
Switzerland 0-0 England - Nations League play-off: RESULT


Dominant England win Nations League third-place play-off vs Switzerland on pens 2 days ago Jordan Pickford changed into England's penalty shootout hero once again as Gareth Southgate's guys at last overcame Switzerland to convey a thrilling conclusion to a tepid third-vicinity play-off in the Nations League.
Switzerland 0 England 0 (aet, 5-6 on penalties): Pickford


Switzerland 0-0 England, AET (5-6 pens), RESULT: Jordan Pickford guides Three Lions to third in Nations League after saving AND scoring in shootout England denied a late winner by VAR after Callum


Jordan Pickford was England's penalty shootout hero once again as Gareth Southgate's men eventually overcame Switzerland to bring an exciting end to a tepid third-place play-off in the Nations League. Three days on from losing their semi-final to the Netherlands due to two defensive gifts and a narrow offside call, the Three Lions returned
Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win

Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win


Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on penalties Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling hit the woodwork in a game which Gareth
Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win


Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on penalties Jordan Pickford scored and then saved the decisive penalty in a 6-5 shootout win over Switzerland which saw England clinch third spot in the Nations League.
Nations League: England beat Switzerland 6-5 on penalties


Dominant England win Nations League third-place play-off vs Switzerland on pens 4 days ago Jordan Pickford turned into England's penalty shootout hero once again as Gareth Southgate's guys at last overcame Switzerland to deliver an exhilarating conclusion to a tepid third-region play-off in the Nations League.
Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win


Report Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling hit the woodwork in a game which Gareth Southgate's men should have settled in normal time Jordan Pickford scored and then saved the decisive penalty in a 6-5 shootout win over Switzerland which saw England clinch third spot in the Nations League.
Dominant England win Nations League third-place play-off vs


Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on penalties Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on
Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win


Switzerland 0-0 England (AET): A dominant Three Lions win Nations League third-place play-off on penalties Sunday, 9 June 2019 ( 21 minutes ago ) Jordan Pickford scored and then saved the decisive penalty in a 6-5 shootout win over Switzerland which saw England clinch third spot in the Nations League.
Dominant England win Nations League third-place play-off vs