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Euro 2020 | Switzerland eliminate France on penalties

Switzerland have beaten France 5-4 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw in the last 16 of Euro 2020 in Bucharest.

Yann Sommer saved Kylian Mbappe's penalty to send the Swiss players, fans and staff into raptures at National Stadium and setting up a quarter-final against Spain on Friday.

Haris Seferovic headed Switzerland into a 15th-minute lead with a fine header, before Ricardo Rodriguez saw his penalty saved by France captain Hugo Lloris.

Karim Benzema (57, 59) then scored twice in three minutes to turn the game on its head. The Real Madrid striker slotted his first past Sommer after producing an outrageous touch to control the ball on the edge of the Swiss box.

Benzema's second was a header from close range after good work from Antoine Griezmann and Mbappe in the buildup.

Paul Pogba curled in a stunning shot from 25 yards to make it 3-1 with 15 minutes remaining, but Vladimir Petković' Switzerland side mounted a dramatic comeback.

Seferovic gave them hope in the 81st minute with another good header.

In the 90th minute, man of the match Granit Xhaka played Mario Gavranovic through on the edge of the box, and Gavranovic showed great composure to beat a defender and fire a low finish into the bottom corner to send the game to extra time.

Neither country could make a breakthrough in extra time, sending the match to penalties in Romania.

Gavranovic scored the shootout's first penalty, with Pogba responding in kind for France with an emphatic spot kick.

Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Vargas all scored subsequent penalties for the Swiss, with Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram and Presnel Kimpembe scoring for France.

Admir Mehmedi found the net with Switzerland's fifth penalty, before Sommer guessed the right way and saved Mbappe's penalty.

The world champions are heading home, but the Swiss march on to the last eight.

More to follow...

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