Soccer-Spain show experience to shrug off Swiss challenge at Women's Euros

The Star

3 days ago

Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Quarter Final - Spain v Switzerland - Stadion Wankdorf, Bern, Switzerland - July 18, 2025 Spain's Claudia Pina in action with Switzerland's Nadine Riesen REUTERS/Matthew Childs
BERN (Reuters) -Spain missed two penalties and struggled to break down Switzerland in their Euro 2025 quarter-final on Friday but the world champions leveraged all their experience to score twice in the second half to set up a showdown against either France or Germany.
With a raucous crowd roaring on the hosts, the Spaniards were unusually sloppy despite dominating possession in the first half, and it took goals from substitute Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina in the second to finally get them over the line.
"It is true that many times we are used to winning the first parts (of games) very quickly but in real football it is not like that. In real football, you play 90 minutes, especially when you're in the European championship," Spain playmaker Aitana Bonmati told reporters.
"The truth is that Spain has brought out a bit of that maturity, that insistence that I think is important, because it's not easy in the quarter-finals and in the end that was the mentality that the team had," defender Laia Aleixandri said.
"The semi-finals were up for grabs and I think that weighs heavily. You had to be very careful in the back, because we always say it -- we attack with many players and Switzerland was very good, but I think that in the end we have been mentally very strong, not only me but the whole team," she added.
The Spaniards formed a guard of honour for their Swiss hosts as they left the field, and the Spanish players promised they would celebrate as they waited to find out who they will face in the semi-final in Zurich on Wednesday.
"It's a party, dancing, singing, as it should be. It's a step to the semi-finals, I think we have to enjoy it now. One way or another, we will find out our opponent," Aleixandri added.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Pritha Sarkar)