Spain see off spirited Swiss to reach Euro 2025 semi-finals

Straits Times

4 days ago

BERN – Despite being world champions, Spain believed that they did not have it easy in the Women's Euro 2025 on July 18, and will face 'very difficult games ahead'.
The team reached the semi-finals after battling past hosts Switzerland 2-0 as they continued their bid for a first-ever European crown.
Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina scored the goals in the second half in Bern to give La Roja deserved passage to the last four where they will face either France or Germany on Wednesday.
But Montse Tome's team did not have it all their own way as Switzerland put up a brave fight in front of a passionate crowd at the Wankdorf Stadium, doing a great job in slowing Spain's usual free-flowing football.
'We expected something like this, we are in quarters with the host team and all the fans. They have been very competitive team, very intense,' said Spain's star midfielder Aitana Bonmati.
'They defended deep and didn't allow us to play our game, but in the end it turned out OK. Now we have some very difficult games ahead.
'We are used to winning from the start but football is not like that, you have to compete for 90 minutes. We did a good job, we were calm and confident in our abilities.'
Pia Sundhage's players acquitted themselves brilliantly in their home tournament and were given a loud round of applause from the majority of the nearly 30,000 supporters who stayed behind for some time after the final whistle to show their appreciation to the team.
The Swiss, who finished the match with 10 women after Noelle Maritz was sent off in the final minute, had never progressed past the group stage of a Euros before and in the end Spain proved to be too much for the team ranked 23rd in the world.
The Spaniards, meanwhile, overcame a test of patience before their superior quality eventually prevailed.
It didn't look like it was going to be their night but del Castillo finally made the breakthrough in the 66th minutes, collecting Bonmati's through ball and scoring the goal which ended Switzerland's spirited resistance.
Pina whipped home a wonderful second goal five minutes later and that was that for the Swiss.
While the hosts' dream run came to an end, a proud coach Pia Sundhage and her players celebrated as if it was a victory. In many ways it was, especially after making the knockout round of a major tournament for the first time, and then diligently holding off the world's best for more than an hour.
'I've been in the football game since I was a little kid, and the fact that it has changed (in Switzerland), people are more interested in the women's game than they were a year-and-a-half ago, that's the thing you love to see happening,' Sundhage said.
'We lost the game, but I think we gained a lot. Football is so much more than a gold medal.'
Sundhage was hired in January 2024 to improve the national team ahead of hosting Euro 2025, and she walked off the pitch with the crowd chanting her name.
'I think that's cool. When people shouted my name, I feel they are shouting women's football,' the 65-year-old added. 'They know my name to begin with, and I'm coaching women's football.' AFP, REUTERS