Norway reach Euro 2025 quarter-finals as Swiss down eliminated Iceland

France 24

19 hours ago

Caroline Graham Hansen snatched the three points in Sion with a mishit cross six minutes before the end to give Norway a perfect six points from their two Group A fixtures.
And hosts Switzerland beating Iceland ensured that Gemma Grainger's Norway have won the group with a match to spare, setting up a last-eight clash with the the team that finishes second in Group B.
"We need to get better at some things, but the best thing is that we will keep getting better. If you can get better while winning games, that's the ideal formula," said Grainger.
Norway looked set to dominate when Eva Nystrom diverted Hansen's low cross into her own net, and they were unlucky not be two ahead midway through the first half after striking the woodwork twice in the space of a minute.
First, Ingrid Engen nodded Vilde Boe Risa's probing cross onto the post in the 24th minute. Then, Finland goalkeeper Anna Koivunen tipped an inswinging corner onto the upright.
Koivunen pulled off two more superb stops four minutes later, tipping away Hansen's low drive before charging out to deny Ada Hegerberg just as it looked like the former Ballon d'Or winner was certain to net from close range.
Koivunen's goalkeeping heroics were rewarded in the 32nd minute when Oona Sevenius kept her head on the edge of the penalty box to guide home a superb leveller.
Finland suddenly looked far more likely to take the points, with Eveliina Summanen denied a brilliant goal when Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand tipped a shot onto the post.
Hansen seemed to have missed her chance to win the match for Norway in the 82nd minute when she blasted over from point-blank range.
She made up moments later when she skipped past two Finnish defenders, burst into the box, evaded two more players and lofted the ball in off the post.
Swiss eye quarters
The Swiss sit second, three points behind Norway, after Geraldine Reuteler and Alayah Pilgrim delighted a passionate home crowd at the Wankdorf Stadium.
Pia Sundhage's team need to avoid defeat against Finland on Thursday to reach the knockout stage of the Euros for first time.
"I'm very proud of the team because we changed at half-time, in the second half we changed the system a little bit and I think they did great," Sundhage told Swiss broadcaster RSI.
"Now? let's take the next step and see how it goes."
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Reuteler opened the scoring with a smart finish at the end of a fine passing move in the 76th minute, finally breaking the deadlock of a contest in which both teams struck the woodwork.
And in the final minute Pilgrim put Switzerland in second place above Finland on goal difference with a wildly deflected effort from just outside the area.
Defeat for Iceland left them on zero points and without any chance of reaching the next round as they have an inferior head-to-head record with both the Swiss and Finland ahead of their final fixture with Norway.