Spain show experience to shrug off Swiss challenge at Women's Euros
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Champions Napoli must learn from disastrous title defence, says Conte
Serie A champions Napoli must be humble and learn from the mistakes they made during their disastrous title defence in the 2023-24 campaign, manager Antonio Conte has warned. Napoli endured a turbulent 2023-24 campaign, finishing 10th and going through three managers after coach Luciano Spalletti left the club. Spalletti had led them to their first Scudetto title in 33 years in the 2022-23 season. Conte, who won three Serie A titles as manager of Juventus and one at Inter Milan along with a Premier League trophy with Chelsea, was handed the responsibility of reviving Napoli in June last year and promptly won them the Scudetto in the recently concluded season. "By definition, those who have the Scudetto on their jersey are favourites or among the favourites. We must not shy away or hide out of fear," Conte told reporters on Friday. "We have worked hard to tailor ourselves. It is inevitable that this year will be very challenging. "But there is a very recent past that we must never forget. We must learn lessons even from negative things. What happened two years ago must be a lesson, especially to the environment. We are on the field and we work, there will never be any flights of fancy. We will be very humble." Napoli have strengthened their title-winning squad with the addition of Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, Dutch winger Noa Lang and Italian centre back Luca Marianucci, among others. De Bruyne, regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, lifted 19 trophies at Manchester City since his 2015 move from German side VfL Wolfsburg — a haul that includes six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown. Conte hopes the 34-year-old can help Napoli take that extra step. "He comes to us to take on a new challenge, it is a different situation for him too: he has already reached very high levels in his career and has a lot more to give to football," Conte added.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Emotional Martin happy to be back competing after injury setbacks
Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martin said he was glad to be back on the race track at the Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix after missing 10 of the 11 rounds because of injuries. Wrist and ankle injuries suffered in a pre-season crash ruled the 27-year-old Spaniard out of the first three rounds before another crash in his first race on board the Aprilia bike in Qatar in April led to a collapsed lung and bruised ribs. He marked his comeback with an impressive fifth place finish at the Czech MotoGP practice in Brno on Friday. "I miss this feeling a lot and just focused," Martin told reporters. "It was a really demanding day, having all these conditions on track. We had to be always really focused. "The dry line was really narrow in some corners so it was difficult to be consistent. I missed the consistency by being out for a lot of months. "It was really emotional after finishing in the top five, not because of the result itself, but because I am back. I did a great job today. I am really happy." Friday's practice session was Martin's first time on the Aprilia in the rain. Martin won his first MotoGP title last season with Pramac Racing before moving to Aprilia. "I cannot be really optimistic when I go into the corners because I don't know what is going to happen," he said. "So I need to start feeling the things, but as soon as I put on some more tyres, I was always in the top four, top five." The Czech MotoGP qualifying takes place later on Saturday, with the race happening on Sunday.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Spain see off spirited Swiss to reach Euro 2025 semi-finals
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
