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Soccer-Swiss move through to Euro 2025 quarter-finals with late Xhemaili goal

Soccer-Swiss move through to Euro 2025 quarter-finals with late Xhemaili goal

The Star10-07-2025
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Group A - Finland v Switzerland - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - July 10, 2025 Switzerland's Riola Xhemaili celebrates scoring their first goal with Smilla Vallotto and Leila Wandeler REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
GENEVA (Reuters) -Switzerland's Riola Xhemaili scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with Finland on Thursday that sent the joyous hosts through to the quarter-finals at Euro 2025, and sends heartbroken Finland home.
Finland looked to be heading for the knockout round after Natalia Kuikka scored from the penalty spot in the 79th minute, but the Swiss kept up the attack in the breathless dying minutes and Xhemaili scored with a tap-in in added time to blow the roof off at Stade de Geneve.
Switzerland, who needed only a draw to advance based on goal difference, finished second in Group A behind Norway after a game that for most of the night was far from a classic.
It is the first time the Swiss women have advanced to a knockout round in a European championship.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing in Oberentfelden, Switzerland; editing by Clare Fallon)
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