Berlin (dpa)
England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was in an unusual position as he watched his teammates take penalties against Switzerland to book their place in the semi-finals of the European Nations Cup “Euro 2024” in Germany.
Kane praised his teammates after successfully taking penalty kicks against Switzerland after their quarter-final clash ended in a 1-1 draw, after he was substituted before the end of extra time.
Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold converted all five penalties for England, while Jordan Pickford saved Switzerland’s first spot-kick from Manuel Akanji, to help the Three Lions win 5-3 and advance to the semi-finals of the continental tournament against the Netherlands next Wednesday.
“It was definitely a new experience but I was really calm,” said England’s all-time top scorer Kane. “I saw the way we prepared, I saw the players on the pitch. We have a lot of players who are capable of taking penalties now and dealing with high-pressure situations and they’ve learned that through their clubs as well. “I think in those moments it’s all about preparation, dealing with the situation and who can do it best, who can take it when it’s needed. All the boys were ready and I’m really proud of them.”
Brentford striker Toney came on for Kane during extra time and cleverly slotted the penalty past Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
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