Latest news with #AlayahPilgrim
Japan Times
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Swiss beat Iceland 2-0 to keep alive Women's Euro knockout hopes
Geraldine Reuteler got the opening goal and Alayah Pilgrim scored a late second as host Switzerland beat Iceland 2-0 on Sunday to keep alive the team's hopes of a place in the knockout stage by registering their its win in Group A at the Women's Euros. The result means Norway, which beat Finland 2-1 earlier on Sunday, will go through as group winner, while the Swiss will play Finland in their final group game in Geneva on Wednesday with second place and a spot in the last eight up for grabs. Iceland became the first team to be eliminated from the competition. "We wanted to win that game and we got carried by our fans. In the end we created the chances needed to win. ... I am so happy," Swiss captain Lia Walti said. The tropical heat of the last week gave way to a cool evening and a light but persistent rain that made the pitch slick and slippery, raising the stakes for the two sides, neither of whom had much margin for error after losing their opening group games. There were ominous signs for the hosts in the first minute when Ingibjorg Sigurdarsdottir sent a thunderous shot off the crossbar, shocking the majority of the 29,658 fans in attendance. The Swiss had the ball in the net on the half-hour mark after Svenja Foelmli's header was helped into her own goal by Glodis Viggosdottir, but the strike was ruled out after a VAR review found that Foelmli had committed a foul in the buildup. It took until the 76th minute for Reuteler to break the deadlock in a tough, tense encounter as Iceland lost the ball in midfield and Sydney Schertenlieb slid it into her path to fire home confidently, capping off another superb individual display. Substitute Pilgrim then wrapped up the three points with a deflected shot that flew into the net to send the crowd into a frenzy, with the promise of another big night of football for the hosts on the immediate horizon. "When we scored the first goal, the 1-0, it was a fantastic feeling — now there are 30,000 in the stands who are celebrating for us. It's a good feeling, it was overwhelming in a way. It just exploded in here," Swiss midfielder Smilla Valotto told reporters. "That was up and down and back and forth. It was a fight and, at the end of the day, I think we did well," Swiss coach Pia Sundhage said with a mixture of elation and relief. "It's difficult to play against Iceland because of all the duels, they're good in the air. But we met that and we managed to do so with a clean sheet and score two goals, we are very happy about that." Sundhage said she would have no problem getting her squad to focus on the next task against Finland. "I feel that the team is getting tighter and tighter. And that's very important in order to win anything, believing each other, and believe that you can win," she told reporters.
The Sun
21 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Pilgrim manifests Euro knockout destiny with Swiss goal
WITH Switzerland's hopes of making the knockout round of the Women's Euros hanging in the balance late in the game against Iceland on Sunday, substitute Alayah Pilgrim had one thing on her mind when coach Pia Sundhage called her number -- to score the goal that would ensure victory. As her side clung on to a 1-0 lead, the 22-year-old came off the bench in the 78th minute on a wet, slippery night and, as the clock clicked past 90 minutes, she fired a deflected effort that gave the Swiss a 2-0 cushion that teed them up for a final-game showdown against Finland on Thursday, with a place in the last eight at stake. 'Actually, before I came in, I was manifesting a bit. I wanted to score this goal really bad, and I wanted to be a game-changer, and that was in my mind. So I just took the ball, went right, and shot to the shot,' she told Reuters, still caught up in the joy of the moment. 'I was in my moment. Actually, I was just like, I don't know what I felt! I felt so many things in my body, and so much energy and emotions and the crowd. Of course, it was an amazing feeling.' Pilgrim's effort took a deflection that wrong-footed the Icelandic goalkeeper but the crowd still celebrated wildly, knowing that the three points give them an excellent chance to secure a spot in the last eight if they can manage at least a draw with the Finns. With Norway top of Group A on six points and the Swiss second on three, ahead of Finland on goal difference, Pilgrim said she would likely take the same approach ahead of the decisive game with Finland. 'Manifesting is a good thing, and we're really looking forward to playing against Finland and get another win,' she said.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pilgrim manifests Euro knockout destiny with Swiss goal
BERN - With Switzerland's hopes of making the knockout round of the Women's Euros hanging in the balance late in the game against Iceland on Sunday, substitute Alayah Pilgrim had one thing on her mind when coach Pia Sundhage called her number -- to score the goal that would ensure victory. As her side clung on to a 1-0 lead, the 22-year-old came off the bench in the 78th minute on a wet, slippery night and, as the clock clicked past 90 minutes, she fired a deflected effort that gave the Swiss a 2-0 cushion that teed them up for a final-game showdown against Finland on Thursday, with a place in the last eight at stake. "Actually, before I came in, I was manifesting a bit. I wanted to score this goal really bad, and I wanted to be a game-changer, and that was in my mind. So I just took the ball, went right, and shot to the shot," she told Reuters, still caught up in the joy of the moment. "I was in my moment. Actually, I was just like, I don't know what I felt! I felt so many things in my body, and so much energy and emotions and the crowd. Of course, it was an amazing feeling." Pilgrim's effort took a deflection that wrong-footed the Icelandic goalkeeper but the crowd still celebrated wildly, knowing that the three points give them an excellent chance to secure a spot in the last eight if they can manage at least a draw with the Finns. With Norway top of Group A on six points and the Swiss second on three, ahead of Finland on goal difference, Pilgrim said she would likely take the same approach ahead of the decisive game with Finland. "Manifesting is a good thing, and we're really looking forward to playing against Finland and get another win," she said. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor
CNA
a day ago
- Sport
- CNA
Pilgrim manifests Euro knockout destiny with Swiss goal
BERN :With Switzerland's hopes of making the knockout round of the Women's Euros hanging in the balance late in the game against Iceland on Sunday, substitute Alayah Pilgrim had one thing on her mind when coach Pia Sundhage called her number - to score the goal that would ensure victory. As her side clung on to a 1-0 lead, the 22-year-old came off the bench in the 78th minute on a wet, slippery night and, as the clock clicked past 90 minutes, she fired a deflected effort that gave the Swiss a 2-0 cushion that teed them up for a final-game showdown against Finland on Thursday, with a place in the last eight at stake. "Actually, before I came in, I was manifesting a bit. I wanted to score this goal really bad, and I wanted to be a game-changer, and that was in my mind. So I just took the ball, went right, and shot to the shot," she told Reuters, still caught up in the joy of the moment. "I was in my moment. Actually, I was just like, I don't know what I felt! I felt so many things in my body, and so much energy and emotions and the crowd. Of course, it was an amazing feeling." Pilgrim's effort took a deflection that wrong-footed the Icelandic goalkeeper but the crowd still celebrated wildly, knowing that the three points give them an excellent chance to secure a spot in the last eight if they can manage at least a draw with the Finns. With Norway top of Group A on six points and the Swiss second on three, ahead of Finland on goal difference, Pilgrim said she would likely take the same approach ahead of the decisive game with Finland. "Manifesting is a good thing, and we're really looking forward to playing against Finland and get another win," she said.
The Star
a day ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Pilgrim manifests Euro knockout destiny with Swiss goal
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Group A - Switzerland v Iceland - Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland - July 6, 2025 Switzerland's Alayah Pilgrim celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Denis Balibouse BERN (Reuters) -With Switzerland's hopes of making the knockout round of the Women's Euros hanging in the balance late in the game against Iceland on Sunday, substitute Alayah Pilgrim had one thing on her mind when coach Pia Sundhage called her number -- to score the goal that would ensure victory. As her side clung on to a 1-0 lead, the 22-year-old came off the bench in the 78th minute on a wet, slippery night and, as the clock clicked past 90 minutes, she fired a deflected effort that gave the Swiss a 2-0 cushion that teed them up for a final-game showdown against Finland on Thursday, with a place in the last eight at stake. "Actually, before I came in, I was manifesting a bit. I wanted to score this goal really bad, and I wanted to be a game-changer, and that was in my mind. So I just took the ball, went right, and shot to the shot," she told Reuters, still caught up in the joy of the moment. "I was in my moment. Actually, I was just like, I don't know what I felt! I felt so many things in my body, and so much energy and emotions and the crowd. Of course, it was an amazing feeling." Pilgrim's effort took a deflection that wrong-footed the Icelandic goalkeeper but the crowd still celebrated wildly, knowing that the three points give them an excellent chance to secure a spot in the last eight if they can manage at least a draw with the Finns. With Norway top of Group A on six points and the Swiss second on three, ahead of Finland on goal difference, Pilgrim said she would likely take the same approach ahead of the decisive game with Finland. "Manifesting is a good thing, and we're really looking forward to playing against Finland and get another win," she said. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor; editing by Clare Fallon)
