Switzerland send world champions France crashing out on penalties after Mbappe miss
Granit Xhaka of Switzerland celebrates their side's third goal scored by team-mate Mario Gavranovic. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Kylian Mbappe’s decisive penalty miss produced the biggest upset of the Euros to date, helping unfancied Switzerland through to the quarter-finals and knocking out the world champions in the process.
After nine successful kicks, one of France’s household names took the tenth penalty of the shoot-out to keep his team in the contest - and the tournament - only to see his effort well saved by Yann Sommer.
It was a devastating defeat after Karim Benzema, the controversial striker exiled from the French team five years ago and recalled for these Euros, continued to leave an astonishing impact on the tournament although his two second-half goals were not enough to secure victory for Didier Deschamps’ team inside 90 minutes.
Swiss substitute Mario Gavranovic scored in the final minute of normal time, from Grant Xhaka’s superb assist, to make the thrilling last-16 tie 3-3 in Budapest.
That came just six minutes after he thought he had levelled - only for that effort to be ruled out for offside - the latest twist in an extraordinary contest.
The game swung dramatically in a four-minute spell early in the second half of normal time, as the Swiss, so impressive in the first half, paid the penalty - literally - for a missed spot-kick after 55 minutes.
After Ricardo Rodriguez’s weak effort, following Benjamin Pavard's desperate foul on Steven Zuber, had been saved by Hugo Lloris, it took Benzema less than two and a half minutes to add to the two goals he scored in the final group game with Portugal and equalise.
The Real Madrid veteran took a superb touch to control Kylian Mbappe’s touch and beat keeper Yann Sommer from six yards.
For the French, it was a reprieve they could scarcely have expected after they trailed to Haris Seferovic’s first-half goal but Benzema was not finished, needing just a further 102 seconds to put his country in front.
Antoine Griezmann played a neat one-two with Mbappe before chipping an attempt which Yann Sommer could only parry, directly to the far post where Benzema headed into the open net.
This was a completely different French side from the one Deschamps had sent out in the first half and the best finish of the night was still to come, from Paul Pogba on 74 minutes.
After Benzema sensed a hat-trick and saw his effort blocked on the edge of the area, the ball broke to the Manchester United midfielder who curled a breathtaking right-foot shot into the top corner from nearly 30 yards.
It was his first goal for France since the World Cup Final in 2018 and also a cushion the French would need as Seferovic powered in his second headed goal of the night after 81 minutes, as he met Kevin Mbabu’s centre from close range.
That warning went unheeded, as Gavranovic had a “goal” ruled out for offside just three minutes later. Indeed, the Swiss had clearly not read the script in which, having qualified only as a third-placed “loser” in their qualifying group, they were supposed to lie down and allow their Alpine neighbours to advance to Friday’s quarter-final with Spain in Saint Petersburg.
Their hopes of an upset arrived on 15 minutes, after a predictable pressure-filled start to the contest and resulted in a magnificent finish from Benfica striker Seferovic.
Zuber supplied the assist with an equally eye-catching left-wing delivery that hung invitingly in the air and allowed the robust Swiss number nine to bully Clement Lenglet out of the way and power a thumping header past Hugo Lloris.
It was a goal that possibly left questions over Deschamps’ decision to switch to a back three for the tie, due to injuries to two left-backs, but this was not a comfortable opening for his defence, whatever the formation.
Indeed, Switzerland could have doubled their lead on 31 minutes, from a superb Xherdan Shaqiri free-kick which should have produced more than a mis-guided glancing header wide of the goal from Breel Embolo.
This was a huge test for the reigning world champions - and a manager looking to become the first man ever to win the World Cup and Euros both as a player and manager.
His response was to abandon his formation, reverting to a more customary back four and bringing on Kingsley Coman, a move which seemed to have worked until the late Swiss comeback.
Pegged back to 3-3, France came closest to a fourth goal, with Coman hitting the bar in the final minute of time added on at the end of 90 minutes and Pavard goal bound volley being tipped over by Sommer in extra-time.
Lloris 7; Varane 5, Lenglet 5 (Coman 45, 7, Thuram 111), Kimpembe 6; Pavard 5, Pogba 8, Kante 7, Rabiot 7; Griezmann 7 (Sissoko 88, 6); Benzema 9 (Giroud 93, 6), Mbappe 6. Lemar, Tolisso, Zouma, Mandanda, Hernandez, Ben Yedder, Maignan, Dubois.
Sommer 7; Elvedi 7, Akanji 6, Rodriguez 5 (Mehmedi 87, 7); Widmer 5 (Mbabu 73, 7), Freuler 6, Xhaka 9, Zuber 7 (Fassnacht 79, 6); Shaqiri 6 (Gavranovic 73, 8); Seferovic 8 (Schar 96, 6), Embolo 7 (Vargas 80, 7). Zakaria, Mvogo, Sow, Benito, Fernandes, Kobel.
F Rapallini (Argentina) 8
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