Norway battle back to beat Swiss hosts in Euro 2025 opener
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
44 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Monfils says Toronto loss marks his final Toronto visit
TORONTO: Gael Monfils said he has played for the last time in Toronto after crashing out of the Masters in Sunday's opening round of the ATP Masters to a Chilean qualifier. The 38-year-old French tennis icon missed out on four match points to exit 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3) to number 142 Tomas Barrios Vera, who won the first Masters match of his career and ended a seven-match loss streak at the ATP level. Monfils symbolically touched the baseline as he walked off a loser after nearly three hours in torrid summer temperatures approaching 35 Celsius. "There's no explanation, it's the last one," he said. "It will be two years to play (again) in Toronto, so pretty much I won't be able to play it. Obviously I think the next one is too old for me, so I think it was the last time I'll play here." He added: "I actually thought at the end, and I was like, 'Well, I think it's, unfortunately, but the last time I think I would play here.'" Monfils had little good to say about his effort. "Without taking credit from my opponent, (it was a) bad match from my side, not the quality that I want, not the level that I want to perform," he said. "(I need to) try to work hard, feel this winning (habit come) back a little bit and try to still believe. "Keep my head up, even though it's not easy, but I will try my best." — AFP
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Defending champions England beat Spain on penalties to win Women's Euro 2025
BASEL, Switzerland: Chloe Kelly converted the decisive kick as England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to lift the Women's Euro 2025 trophy after Sunday's game had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, allowing the Lionesses to avenge their defeat in the World Cup final two years ago and retain their continental crown. It looked as though Spain would repeat their victory over England in Sydney in 2023 as they dominated the game at St Jakob-Park in Basel and led through Mariona Caldentey's first-half header. But England did not panic, having already trailed against both Sweden in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semis before finding a way to win. Alessia Russo headed in their equaliser just before the hour mark, and no further goals meant a shoot-out in which Kelly – who once again had a huge impact off the bench – netted the winner. "I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net," Kelly told the BBC of her penalty. It was an agonising way to lose for Spain, but they failed to score three of their spot-kicks, with reigning Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati seeing her effort saved. Sarina Wiegman's England are therefore back-to-back European champions, three years after they defeated Germany in extra time at Wembley to win a first women's major tournament. "What a team. What a game. What drama. You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud. History makers," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was at the match, wrote on X. Defeating Spain helps make up for the pain of losing the World Cup final in 2023, and England's victory also confirms Wiegman's place among the coaching greats. She has now won three consecutive European Championships, having led her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before doing the same with England three years ago. "We said we can win by any means and that's what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible," said Wiegman, whose team lost to France in their first match at the tournament. "Losing your first game and becoming European champions is incredible," she added. Spain fell short in their quest to add a maiden European Championship title to the World Cup they won in Australia. La Roja dominated possession as expected, but ultimately paid the price for not killing the game against an England side who never know when they are beaten. "I am in shock," Bonmati told broadcaster TVE before apologising for failing from the spot. "Football is cruel. Everything seems bad right now, but I think we played the best football during the tournament." England, meanwhile, had been 2-0 down against Sweden in the last eight before scoring twice to force extra time as they eventually won on penalties. Then substitute Michelle Agyemang's 96th-minute equaliser denied Italy in the semi-finals, when Kelly netted the extra-time winner. Wiegman took a gamble here on the fitness of Lauren James which paid off, albeit not quite as planned – having come off with an ankle injury against Italy, the Chelsea winger did not last until half-time and was replaced by Kelly. By that point Spain were in front, scoring when Ona Battle crossed from the right for Caldentey to head in. They had already been in control before that and it felt like England's best hope was for complacency from their opponents. The best example of that came with the game still goalless, when Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll played a careless short pass to Laia Aleixandri in her own area. Lauren Hemp was alive to the opportunity and pounced, but Coll made the save. Yet even at 1-0 England were still in the game, and they took their chance in the 57th minute when Kelly crossed from the left for Russo to level. England – with more fans on their side in the crowd of 34,203 – sensed yet another comeback win was on the cards, and it took Coll's fingertips to keep out a Kelly effort midway. The game continued into extra time, and from there to the gripping tension of penalties, in which Beth Mead's first kick for England was saved after she was forced to retake. Captain Leah Williamson also had her effort stopped by Coll, but Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles both scored, while Patri Guijarro was the only successful taker for Spain before Kelly won it. — AFP
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Bonmati crushed after Spain's shootout defeat by England
SPAIN playmaker Aitana Bonmati cut a disconsolate figure as she picked up her Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2025 on Sunday, minutes after her side finished as runners-up after losing a penalty shootout to England in the final. Bonmati bounced back from a meningitis scare ahead of the tournament to play a crucial role in Spain's progress to the final. However, on Sunday Spain struggled to unlock the England defence and Bonmati missed her spot-kick in the shootout as she slumped to another painful defeat following her club side Barcelona's Champions League final loss to Arsenal in May. 'It's hard to see you right now,' she told reporters. 'Two months ago I found myself in this situation with the club. You have to value more when things are going well, we have been better on the pitch, not on penalties,' she said. The 27-year-old apologised to the Spanish people for not being able to deliver a victory against an England side that was no match for them in terms of skill, but who refused to give up. 'I assume my part of my responsibility, I play for the team and for many more people. There is no point in playing a better game and missing penalties,' she said. 'For me, England is a team capable of not playing well and winning. There are teams that don't need much to win.' England took the chance they were offered and though Spain found themselves on the losing side, Bonmati was philosophical. 'We haven't lost a game (in 90 minutes), we have received support and I feel bad about that too. We have won off the field of play and that is valuable too,' she explained, before promising to come back stronger. 'We are a trained team, we have already shown that we know how to overcome. We hope to reach (Euro) 2029 at full capacity and try again.' - REUTERS
