WHEN his matadors were staring an embarrassing Euro exit in the face after making a right cow of their opening two matches, Luis Enrique insisted all talk of an early elimination was a load of old bull.
While the rest of his country drowned their sorrows after two uninspiring draws against Sweden and Poland, Spain boss Luis Enrique remained adamant his flops would still go all the way.
He described his under-performing squad as like a bottle of Cava ready to pop.
Most thought the stubborn senor – who comes across as though as the sort of fella who could start a fight in an empty room – had been on sauce himself.
Or that he had been struck down by Mad Cow Disease.
But now it seems he might be right after all as Spain’s form and, maybe more crucially, their luck seems to be improving game by game.
The team that had missed their last FIVE penalties booked their semi-final place with a shootout win over the 10-man Swiss despite missing their first one.
La Roja are in the last-four of a major tournament for the first time since 2012.
Every time they have reached this stage they have gone on to lift the trophy and on this evidence only a fool would back against them doing it again.
The only saving grace for their Euro 2020 rivals is, despite having hit 10 goals in their previous two matches, they do not have a clinical striker.
The three-times winners created so many chances – but again they could not hit a cow’s backside with a pair of maracas.
They even needed a Swiss defender with Toblerone boots to give them an early lead as Denis Zakaria’s comical bid to clear Jordi Alba’s shot ended with him diverting the ball into his own net.
The Swiss levelled after the break through Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri.
But their hopes were when English ref Michael Oliver showed Freuler a straight red card for a late sliding challenge on Gerard Moreno.
The dramatic shootout victory means the coach who was booed and berated and branded the ‘Bore-bore of Seville’ by his fellow countrymen after his team’s opening two stalemates – is now the toast of his nation
Enrique made two changes from his side that started their epic 5-3 extra time win over Croata in the last 16.
And one of them, Alba coming back in at left-back for Jose Gaya, made an early impact.
Switzerland thought they had cleared an eighth minute corner, but the Barcelona boy returned it with interest by drilling in a shot from the edge of the box.
The TV replays seemed to suggest it was heading towards goal.
But Zakaria made sure it did as his clown feet attempt to clear the ball ended with it nestling in the net.
After initially awarding it to Alba, Uefa’s suits then officially put it down as an own goal – the 10th of these Finals.
Never mind Zakaria – his defending there was absolute diarrhoea.
The Borussia Monchengladbach man showed all the balance, grace and poise of Bambi on ice.
But he nearly redeemed himself with an equaliser but his 56th minute header was just wide.
Then with nervy Spain wobbling, Steven Zubler – aiming to record the most assists at a Euros having made four already – had a shot blocked at point-blank range by keeper Unai Simon after Ruben Vargas had nutmegged Cesar Azpilicueta.
A Swiss leveller was on the cards and it arrived in the 68th minute when Aymeric Laporte’s attempted pass to Spain team-mate Pau Torres failed to reach its intended destination.
Freuler gleefully accepted the gift, squaring it for Xherdan Shaqiri to sweep home.
Having managed just one goal for Liverpool last season, this his was his third goal at these Finals and just reward for Swiss spirit and Spanish negativity
But Alpine ambition was dealt a blow when whistler Oliver dismissed Freuler.
The decision, despite Swiss protests, was rubber stamped by the ref’s Prem pal Chris Kavanagh, the VAR.
For all the praise the use of VAR at this tournament has received this was the SIXTH red card of the Finals – as many as 2016 and 2012 combined.
Swiss scorer Shaqiri looked far from impressed as was sacrificed by boss Vladimir Petkovic.
But it was Spain who, despite the extra man, were the happier to reach extra time as their plucky opponents refused to die.
Extra time was a different story as La Roja dominated.
Such occasions always throw up heroes and villains and this was no different as Moreno had three good chances in the first period.
Moreno fluffed two gilt-edged chances and had another brilliantly saved by Yann Sommer.
The Swiss stopper also performed heroics to keep out efforts from Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo as the Armada turned into the Alamo.
Left-back Ricardo Rodriguez put his body on the line to help out his keeper as he produced a brilliant sliding block to deny Marcos Llorente a certain goal.
But Sommer was Switzerland’s real hero as he took the tie to penalties with another save from misfiring Moreno.
You felt he was going to be the matchwinner after saving two Sergio Ramos spot kicks against Spain in the Nations League in November.
Spain’s spot kick curse looked set to continue when Sergio Busquets fired the opening one against a post and Mario Gavranovic slotted Switzerland 1-0 up.
Dani Olmo scored for Spain as Fabian Scharr’s effort was saved by Simon.
Rodri and Manuel Akanji then missed their respective pens as the nerves began to jangle – before Moreno finally managed to find the net to put Spain in front.
Ruben Vargas then smashed one over the bar as Oyarzabal converted to send the Spanish through.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
