Euro 2025: Kosola's goal secures Finland's 1-0 win over Iceland in tournament opener
THUN, Switzerland (AP) — After missing three earlier chances, Katariina Kosola scored in the 70th minute to give Finland a 1-0 victory over Iceland in the opening game of the Women's European Championship on Wednesday.
Kosola cut in from the left flank to curl a rising right-footed shot into the net and fully take advantage of Iceland having a player sent off 12 minutes earlier.
In the first half, the 24-year-old Kosola forced Iceland goalkeeper Cecilía Rúnarsdóttir into a diving save and fired two more shots just over the crossbar.
Iceland's own left winger Sveindís Jónsdóttir, who will join Angel City in the United States after the tournament, missed with a clear chance to level the game in the 75th. Jónsdóttir also went close deep into stoppage time.
Iceland went down to 10 players in the 58th when midfielder Hildur Antonsdottir was shown a second yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
Both teams had failed to win a game at each of their previous two Euros tournaments.
Finland ended its run to make a strong move in Group A which has no clear standout team and is widely seen as the most evenly balanced at the 16-nation tournament.
Host Switzerland was kicking off against Norway later in Basel after the official on-field opening ceremony for what is the second of 31 games in total. Basel hosts the final on July 27.
Iceland also was hurt by having captain and star defender Glodis Viggosdottir slowed by injury before being replaced at half time. She had missed playing time in Bayern Munich's German league and cup-winning season with a knee injury.
Euro 2025 started with two Nordic teams playing in the heat wave that had Switzerland sweltering since before the squads arrived in the Alpine nation.
It had cooled to 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius) for the 6 p.m. kickoff in Thun as electric storms threatened nearby. It was just 52 degrees (11 C) and cloudy in Iceland's capital Reykjavik though 73 degrees (23 C) in Helsinki.
Finland last won a game at the Women's Euro in 2009, while Iceland had drawn 1-1 in each of its three group-stage games at Euro 2022 and lost all three at the 2017 edition.
Jónsdóttir's fast-driving runs and long throw-ins were a regular threat, and two of Iceland's most dangerous attacks were denied by Finland defender Emma Koivisto blocking the ball.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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