Latest news with #Kosola
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Kosola shines in Finland's victory over 10-player Iceland at eves' Euro opening tie
Katariina Kosola was on the target as Finland held their nerve to beat 10-woman Iceland in the opening match of the Women Euro Championship in Thun on Wednesday. This was Finland first win since 2009 in the finals of any major. After a frustrating goalless first half, it was Finland, who found the net in the 70th minute to break the deadlock. Kosola picked up a pass from Summanen and latched it into the goal. Iceland goalkeeper Rúnarsdóttir got her hand on the shot but that was not enough to stop it. With the victory, Finland heaped more misery on Iceland who have lost their match in the last 14 games at Euro finals. They have registered just one win in their last 12 games. Finland made a winning start to boost their hopes of leaving behind the heart break of last two Euros where they exited in the group stages. Meanwhile, from tournament stalwarts Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman to international debutante Rhian Wilkinson, the Women's European Championship that kicks off on Wednesday in Switzerland marks an historic high for female coaches. Iceland goalkeeper Cecilia Runarsdottir fails to save a shot by Finland 's Katariina Kosola. AP But while women's soccer is one of the better sports for female representation, male coaches still have a slight edge in terms of numbers with nine of the 16 teams at Euro 2025 coached by men and seven by women. The 43.75% of female coaches is a seismic leap from Euro 2013, where just 18.75% of teams were coached by women. That figure had nearly doubled by 2017 and held steady in 2022 at 37.5%. 'It's clear progress is being made -- slowly but surely,' the Female Coaching Network said. 'Of course, there's still a long road ahead. Change takes time.' Lack of success has not been a factor. Between 2000 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, all but one of the major women's football tournaments -- World Cup, Women's Euros and the Olympics -- were won by female-coached teams. Norio Sasaki, the man who coached Japan to World Cup gold in 2011, was the sole exception. Iceland's Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir looks dejected after Finland's Katariina Kosola scores their first goal. Reuters Wiegman was the last woman standing in 2023 in Australia, where England reached their first World Cup final, losing to Spain. Spanish manager Luis Rubiales was fired and then found guilty of sexual assault and fined more than 10,000 euros ($10,798) for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup trophy celebration in a case that sparked a nationwide furore. Sundhage is by far the most experienced coach at Euro 2025, having been head coach of the United States and Sweden for five years each, Brazil for four years and now hosts Switzerland. She guided the Americans to gold at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Wilkinson, who is coaching Wales in their major tournament debut, Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Belgium), Nina Patalon (Poland), and Gemma Grainger (Norway) are the four women making their managerial debuts in a major senior tournament. Women represented about 13% of all coaches at last year's Paris Olympics, which was virtually unchanged from the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Iceland's midfielder #16 Hildur Antonsdottir (right) next to Finland's midfielder #09 Katariina Kosola (left) jumps for the ball. AFP Women's basketball led the way with 50%, followed by football (33%) and hockey (16%). Among the worst were athletics at 13%, women's rugby sevens (8%) and women's golf (6%). (Reporting by Lori Ewing in Zurich, editing by Clare Fallon) From tournament stalwarts Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman to international debutante Rhian Wilkinson, the Women's European Championship that kicks off on Wednesday in Switzerland marks an historic high for female coaches. But while women's soccer is one of the better sports for female representation, male coaches still have a slight edge in terms of numbers with nine of the 16 teams at Euro 2025 coached by men and seven by women. The 43.75% of female coaches is a seismic leap from Euro 2013, where just 18.75% of teams were coached by women. That figure had nearly doubled by 2017 and held steady in 2022 at 37.5%. Agencies
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Women's EURO 2025: Finland beats 10-woman Iceland 1-0 in opener
Katariina Kosola's goal gave Finland a 1-0 win over 10-woman Iceland in the opening match of the Women's European Championship on Wednesday, giving the Finns the perfect start in Group A, which also contains hosts Switzerland and Norway. Finland lost all three games at the last tournament, scoring one goal, but after Iceland's Hildur Antonsdottir's red card in the 58th minute, Kosola made the breakthrough 12 minutes later. The first half ended goalless, with Iceland threatening from set-pieces and Sveindis Jonsdottir's long throw-ins while Finland created the better chances but were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Cecilia Runarsdottir. Inter Milan's Runarsdottir, voted best Serie A keeper last season, made an excellent diving save to keep out Kosola's shot from the edge of the area. Iceland lost captain Glodis Viggosdottir to injury, with the defender replaced at halftime. Another throw-in from Jonsdottir brought Iceland its first real opportunity after the break, with Finnish keeper Anna Koivunen saving one effort and Emma Koivisto blocking another shot but it also led to the red card for Antonsdottir. Antonsdottir had been booked six minutes earlier, and a rash off-the-ball challenge brought a second yellow card and left Iceland down to 10 with over half an hour remaining. ALSO READ | Gold Cup 2025: Diego Luna brace helps USA past Guatemala, secure place in final The drums of the Icelandic fans echoed around the Arena Thun, but it was Finland that now controlled the tempo on the pitch and deservedly found a way through. Kosola took the ball into the box and cut inside before smacking a beautiful shot, which Runarsdottir got a hand to but could not stop the ball sailing into the top corner. Iceland pushed to the end for an equaliser but Finland held on to take the three points. Finland faces Norway next in Sion on Sunday, with Iceland, which has one win in 14 Euros matches, facing the Swiss in Bern.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Finland beat 10-woman Iceland 1-0 in Euro 2025 opener
THUN, Switzerland: Katariina Kosola's goal gave Finland a 1-0 win over 10-woman Iceland in the opening match of the Women's European Championship on Wednesday, giving the Finns the perfect start in Group A which also contains hosts Switzerland and Norway. Finland lost all three games at the last tournament, scoring one goal, but after Iceland's Hildur Antonsdottir's red card in the 58th minute, Kosola made the breakthrough 12 minutes later. The first half ended goalless, with Iceland threatening from set-pieces and Sveindis Jonsdottir's long throw-ins while Finland created the better chances but were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Cecilia Runarsdottir. Inter Milan's Runarsdottir, voted best Serie A keeper last season, made an excellent diving save to keep out Kosola's shot from the edge of the area. Iceland lost captain Glodis Viggosdottir to injury, with the defender replaced at halftime. Another throw-in from Jonsdottir brought Iceland their first real opportunity after the break with Finnish keeper Anna Koivunen saving one effort and Emma Koivisto blocking another shot but it also led to the red card for Antonsdottir. Antonsdottir had been booked six minutes earlier and a rash off the ball challenge brought a second yellow card and left Iceland down to 10 with over half an hour remaining. The drums of the Icelandic fans echoed around the Arena Thun but it was Finland who now controlled the tempo on the pitch and deservedly found a way through. Kosola took the ball into the box and cut inside before smacking a beautiful shot, which Runarsdottir got a hand to but could not stop the ball sailing into the top corner. Iceland pushed to the end for an equaliser but Finland held on to take the three points. Switzerland and Norway play later on Wednesday in Basel.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Norway battle back to beat Swiss hosts in Euro 2025 opener
NORWAY downed hosts Switzerland in their opening fixture of Women's Euro 2025 on Wednesday, coming from behind to win 2-1 in a tough encounter to move top of Group A. Ada Hegerberg's close-range header and a Julia Stierli own goal, both in the second half, gave Norway all three points in front of 34,000 passionate fans at St Jakob-Park in baking Basel. Temperatures were still as high as 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) when the final whistle blew at the end of a roasting hot day in which Finland opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Iceland. Norway lead Finland on goals scored after another spotty display which did little to suggest a team featuring stars like Hegerberg -- who also missed a penalty -- and Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen could win a first major honour since gold at the 2000 Olympics. The Swiss were on the front foot for most of the first half and were unlucky not to be ahead in the 24th minute when Geraldine Reuteler smashed an effort from distance off the crossbar. But Nadine Riesen, who had been the best player on the pitch up to that point, was on hand put the hosts ahead four minutes later. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder pounced when her own cross to Smilla Vallotto ricocheted back to her, allowing her to scuff in the opener off the near post. But Hegerberg hit the Swiss with a sucker punch with her simple header gifted to her by goalkeeper Livia Peng flapping at a corner eight minutes after half-time. And the Lyon striker roared with joy four minutes later when Stierli beat her to Graham Hansen's low cross only to divert it into her own net. Hegerberg, whose opener was her first goal for her country this year, then wasted a glorious opportunity to double Norway's lead when she dragged her penalty well wide following a clear Reuteler handball. The 29-year-old's blushes were saved almost immediately afterwards when VAR overturned a penalty given to Switzerland for a soft-looking foul on Riesen, and Norway held out for the win. Finland off the mark Earlier on Wednesday, Finland got the tournament up and running with their win over 10-player Iceland, Katariina Kosola scoring the only goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining in Thun. The oppressive heat which has gripped much of western and southern Europe was not present in Thun, and Finland proved to be the cooler customers. 'It feels amazing. A first major tournament for me and a win feels really good,' said Kosola. 'The result is important for our confidence. We need to enjoy this and then turn our attention to the next game.' Iceland were left without captain and star player Glodis Perla Viggosdottir at half-time, as the Bayern Munich centre-back was forced out of the match after twice needing treatment in the opening period. Things got trickier for Thorsteinn Halldorsson's team when Hildur Antonsdottir was sent off in the 58th minute for two quick bookings, the second for stamping on Eveliina Summanen's ankle off the ball. And Kosola rattled in the opening goal of the tournament as Finland took advantage of having an extra woman on the pitch, the Malmo midfielder cutting in and firing home past the outstretched fingers of Cecilia Runarsdottir. That strike was enough for Finland who next face Norway in Sion on Sunday.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Norway Beat Switzerland 2-1 in Women's Euro 2025 Opener
NORWAY downed hosts Switzerland in their opening fixture of Women's Euro 2025 on Wednesday, coming from behind to win 2-1 in a tough encounter to move top of Group A. Ada Hegerberg's close-range header and a Julia Stierli own goal, both in the second half, gave Norway all three points in front of 34,000 passionate fans at St Jakob-Park in baking Basel. Temperatures were still as high as 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) when the final whistle blew at the end of a roasting hot day in which Finland opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Iceland. Norway lead Finland on goals scored after another spotty display which did little to suggest a team featuring stars like Hegerberg -- who also missed a penalty -- and Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen could win a first major honour since gold at the 2000 Olympics. The Swiss were on the front foot for most of the first half and were unlucky not to be ahead in the 24th minute when Geraldine Reuteler smashed an effort from distance off the crossbar. But Nadine Riesen, who had been the best player on the pitch up to that point, was on hand put the hosts ahead four minutes later. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder pounced when her own cross to Smilla Vallotto ricocheted back to her, allowing her to scuff in the opener off the near post. But Hegerberg hit the Swiss with a sucker punch with her simple header gifted to her by goalkeeper Livia Peng flapping at a corner eight minutes after half-time. And the Lyon striker roared with joy four minutes later when Stierli beat her to Graham Hansen's low cross only to divert it into her own net. Hegerberg, whose opener was her first goal for her country this year, then wasted a glorious opportunity to double Norway's lead when she dragged her penalty well wide following a clear Reuteler handball. The 29-year-old's blushes were saved almost immediately afterwards when VAR overturned a penalty given to Switzerland for a soft-looking foul on Riesen, and Norway held out for the win. Finland off the mark Earlier on Wednesday, Finland got the tournament up and running with their win over 10-player Iceland, Katariina Kosola scoring the only goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining in Thun. The oppressive heat which has gripped much of western and southern Europe was not present in Thun, and Finland proved to be the cooler customers. 'It feels amazing. A first major tournament for me and a win feels really good,' said Kosola. 'The result is important for our confidence. We need to enjoy this and then turn our attention to the next game.' Iceland were left without captain and star player Glodis Perla Viggosdottir at half-time, as the Bayern Munich centre-back was forced out of the match after twice needing treatment in the opening period. Things got trickier for Thorsteinn Halldorsson's team when Hildur Antonsdottir was sent off in the 58th minute for two quick bookings, the second for stamping on Eveliina Summanen's ankle off the ball. And Kosola rattled in the opening goal of the tournament as Finland took advantage of having an extra woman on the pitch, the Malmo midfielder cutting in and firing home past the outstretched fingers of Cecilia Runarsdottir. That strike was enough for Finland who next face Norway in Sion on Sunday.
