Women's Euro 2025: Sweden eases past Poland and advances to quarterfinals along with Germany
A hat trick of headed goals by three different players was fair reward for relentless attacking down Sweden's right flank that left the overmatched Poland defense exposed.
Sweden had already struck the crossbar with two headers before center forward Stina Blackstenius opened the scoring in the 28th. Captain Kosovare Asllani padded the lead in the 52nd and substitute Lina Hurtig got a key third in the 77th.
That goal sent Sweden top of the standings on goal difference ahead of Germany, ensuring it only needs a draw to win the group when the teams meet on Saturday (July 12, 2025). Germany also got its second win earlier, beating Denmark 2-1 after trailing at halftime.
'A great performance,' Sweden coach said Peter Gerhardsson said in comments reported by UEFA. 'Our defense was really good. We scored some great goals, and we created a lot of chances."
Poland almost scored a consolation goal in stoppage time that would have dropped Sweden below Germany, but Milena Kokosz's long-range shot struck the inside of the post and went to safety.
The winner of Group C will likely avoid Euro 2025 favorite Spain's half of the knockout bracket. The group runner-up between Sweden and Germany would be on a path to meet Spain in the semifinals.
Sweden has now advanced from the group stage in all eight editions of the Women's Euros tournament format.
Poland now has two losses and no goals scored on its major tournament debut, after losing 2-0 to Germany. Captain and star forward Ewa Pajor was kept isolated by the Sweden defense, which cut off most passes seeking her out.
The only eastern European nation in the 16-nation lineup at Euro 2025, Poland had arrived on an 11-game unbeaten run, including 10 wins.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was a constant threat and involved in so many of her team's 60 total attacks that led to 23 attempts on the Poland goal.
Sweden got another bonus when Fridolina Rolfö — a teammate of Pajor at Barcelona — came on as a late substitute for her first action on the left flank after being a pre-tournament doubt because of an injury.
Rolfö came on to replace Madelen Janogy who had struck the bar with a header in the 12th.
The coolest temperatures of the first week in Switzerland greeted the players at the 9 p.m. kickoff in Lucerne: 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13 Celsius).
When Sweden beat Denmark 1-0 on Friday it had been 86 degrees (30 C) at the 6 p.m. start in Geneva.
Gerhardsson said then he hoped for more of a breeze to face Poland, and he got temperate Scandinavian-like conditions that his players thrived in.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
19 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Football: No. Xavi Hernandez, Pep Guardiola didn't apply for India coaching job. It was a hoax, says AIFF
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on Saturday that a job application attributed to former Barcelona manager and Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez for the India head coaching role was a AIFF's national team director told The Times of India on Thursday that Xavi's name was on the list of applicants. The report also quoted an AIFF technical committee member saying the his candidacy was deemed too expensive to men's football team drops six places to 133rd in FIFA rankings, worst in nine years."The AIFF received an email furnishing the applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez. The authenticity of their applications could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email applications were not genuine," the AIFF said in a great Xavi Hernandez's application surprises AIFF, but coaching job set to go to an had not been previously reported that the AIFF had also received an application purporting to be from Manchester City manager AIFF Technical Committee said it had reviewed 170 applications for the Indian men's head coach role, narrowing the list to 10 before short-listing three AIFF sacked former India manger Igor Stimac in June last year before appointing Spaniard Manolo Marquez, who left the job this month and returned to his role as coach of Indian Super League team FC Goa.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
19 minutes ago
- First Post
AIFF dismisses reports of Xavi and Pep Guardiola's applications for Indian football team head coach as hoaxes
The AIFF has clarified that the reports of were false. The football body stated that it received a hoax application from someone claiming to be the Barcelona legend, but no genuine application was submitted by Xavi himself. The clarification has come after close sources of Xavi had already attributed the reports to be untrue. Additionally, AIFF has revealed that it received another application of the same sort but this time the sender was Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (not the real one). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The report garnered a plethora of eyeballs, with many fans and football content creators of India expressing angst with AIFF over not following up on the application of Xavi. However, clarity has now been brought to the matter, revealing that the applications purportedly from Xavi and Pep were, in fact, hoaxes. More from Football Three coaches shortlisted for the job It has been reported that three coaches have been shortlisted for the role from the pool of 170 applications. As per reports, Stephen Constantine, who has coached India before, Karim Jamal, and Stefan Tarkovic are in the reckoning for the role and the decision on who will get the job will likely be announced on August 1. Paying heed to the current situation, Mr. I. M. Vijayan, Chairperson, Technical Committee, stated, 'Given the immediate needs of the national team, it is advisable to recommend three coaches from the shortlisted pool for final consideration. Other prominent applicants, many of whom are highly qualified international coaches, will be taken into account for long-term strategic roles in the future.' Mr. Subrata Paul, Director, National Teams, said, 'It is a very important moment for Indian football, and we are committed to appointing a coach who not only brings technical expertise but also understands the unique style, culture, and dynamics of Indian and Asian football. We believe such a coach will be able to connect with our players quickly and effectively. Our focus is on finding a result-oriented professional who can maximise performance within the available resources and contribute meaningfully to the growth and future direction of Indian football.'
Hindustan Times
38 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
AIFF confirms Xavi's India job bid was fake, reveals it also received hoax email application from ‘Pep Guardiola'
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed that the much-discussed coaching application from Spanish legend Xavi Hernandez was a hoax, while also revealing it had received a similar application from a person claiming to be renowned Spanish manager Pep Guardiola. In an official statement released following its technical committee meeting, the federation acknowledged that it had received applications purportedly from the two iconic managers but could not verify their authenticity. Xavi during his time as FC Barcelona's head coach(REUTERS) 'Additionally, the AIFF received an email furnishing the applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez. The authenticity of their applications could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email applications were not genuine,' the statement read. The revelation comes just days after several reports suggested that former Spain and Barcelona captain Xavi had thrown his hat in the ring for the India job, leaving even members within the AIFF pleasantly surprised. However, that initial excitement has now given way to clarity, as the federation puts its focus back on practical, strategic hiring. Following a comprehensive review of 170 applications for the head coach's position, the AIFF's technical committee has shortlisted three names: Stephen Constantine, Stefan Tarkovic, and Khalid Jamil. While Constantine is no stranger to Indian football and Tarkovic brings European experience, Jamil's deep roots in the Indian domestic scene make him a strong contender. A key theme emerging from the federation's deliberations was the need to appoint a coach who understands the nuances of Indian and Asian football. 'It is a very important moment for Indian football, and we are committed to appointing a coach who not only brings technical expertise but also understands the unique style, culture, and dynamics of Indian and Asian football,' said Subrata Paul, Director, National Teams. 'We believe such a coach will be able to connect with our players quickly and effectively.' India's recent struggles The urgency surrounding the appointment stems from India's recent dip in performance and FIFA ranking, which currently stands at 133, its lowest in nine years. Outgoing head coach Igor Stimac was replaced temporarily by Manolo Marquez, who also stepped down following the team's poor run. Mr. I. M. Vijayan, Chairperson of the Technical Committee, reiterated the immediate need to stabilise the team. 'Given the immediate needs of the national team, it is advisable to recommend three coaches from the shortlisted pool for final consideration. Other prominent applicants, many of whom are highly qualified international coaches, will be taken into account for long-term strategic roles in the future.'
