Five pearlers

Five beautifully executed penalties and somehow we survive into the last week of the tournament and the final four.

It was a much better performance from England, against the best side they have faced. Switzerland are a good illustration of a team greater than its parts, and were unfortunate to come out the wrong side of a penalty shoot-out.

For long period’s though we are still a snooze fest. You can easily nip to the garage pull a couple of beers out of the fridge, open and pour them and put a large bag of Quavers in a bowl and sit back down on the couch and still not have missed anything noteworthy.

80 minutes until our first shot at goal, but what a shot it was. Saka was excellent and I think all of our hearts purred when he put that penalty in. He does seemingly cross fan-rival boundaries with the way he plays and conducts himself.

There were better performances from a number of players, there needed to be, but all Addicks will be proud of how Ezri Konsa played.

The subs all appeared very reactive again from Southgate, but they worked and now we will face the Dutch on Wednesday.

None of Europe’s higher ranked sides have been good at this tournament. Spain have been the best by a long way, but still don’t look like world beaters. The Copa America going on at the same time has also been a bit of a wet blanket. Maybe a post that for another day.

Onto the semi-finals then and it doesn’t matter now how we play does it. It conjointly never mattered how Charlton played in a play-off semi-final, the result is what is remembered.