POLAND are into the quarter-finals of the Euros for the first time in their history after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Switzerland.
Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri had forced extra-time with a stunning overhead kick but £30million Arsenal new boy Granit Xhaka lost his nerve to blast wide in the only miss of the shootout – Poland will face the winner of tonight’s game between Portugal and Croatia.
Poland should have had an early goal after comedic defending by the Swiss.
A loose back pass saw Robert Lewandowski almost go through on goal, but when the ball fell to Ajax striker Arkadiusz Milik, he could only hit it over despite the goal standing empty.
Poland were happy to sit back and finally got their reward with a goal after a lightning quick counter.
Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski quickly threw the ball to Kamil Grosicki who burst down left the left and deep into Swiss territory.
He cut inside and got a little bit lucky - the ball bobbled back into his path after being tackled - but he picked out an unmarked Blaszczykowski at the far post.
The winger made no mistake to fire home from close range.
Switzerland again had most of the ball in the second half and had an early chance through Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Stoke man weaved his way past a couple of tackles and hit a powerful shot, but it was straight at Fabianski.
Blaszczykowski nearly had a second for Poland but his curling effort was tipped away smartly by Yann Sommer.
Facing elimination, Poland continued to press.
Ricardo Rodriguez sent a brilliant free-kick at goal but, somehow, Fabianski tipped the ball just over the top when it looked like it was heading into the top corner.
Another long free-kick had Poland again struggling, the ball fell to Seferovic but his left-footed effort was unlucky and cannoned back off the bar.
A goal looked as if it was coming and it did - in the most spectacular way.
Shaqiri was again Switzerland's hero, scoring a bicycle kick from outside of the box that nestled into the bottom corner after touching the post.
It will take something very special for that goal not to be named goal of the tournament.
The goal forced extra-time which was an extremely tense affair.
There was barely any goal-mouth action in the first 22 minutes of the extra period, before Fabianski was again Poland's saviour with another stop.
A ball was floated into the box and Eren Derdiyok looked like he would score with his header before the Swansea keeper tipped it round the post.
Derdiyok almost had a late winner when Seferovic fired in a low cross but he couldn't quite reach the loose ball.
Poland had one final chance but a deflected chance wouldn't quite reach Blaszczykowski.
The game would go to penalties.
The two teams were perfect from the spot - all except for Granit Xhaka, the Arsenal man blasting well wide.
Adam Nawalka's team face Croatia or Portugal on Thursday in Marseille.
SWITZERLAND: Sommer 6, Lichtsteiner 7, Djourou 7, Schar 7, Rodriguez 9 Dzemaili 6 (Embolo 58, 6), Behrami 6 (Fernandes 77, 6), Xhaka 8, Mehmedi 6 (Derdiyok 50, 6), Shaqiri 8, Seferovic 7
BOOKED
Djourou, Schar
POLAND: Fabianski, 7, Piszczek 7, Maczynski 7 (Jodlowiee 101, 6), Glik 7, Pazdan 7, Jedrzejczyk 7, Krychowiak 7, Blaszczykowski 8, Grosicki 7 (Peszko 104, 5) Milik 7, Lewandowski, 7
BOOKED
Pazdan,Jedrzejczyk
STAR MAN
Ricardo odriguez
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