Switzerland’s Equalizer Puts Them in the Quarterfinals

The Stade de Geneva was the stage for this huge matchup in Group A as the hosts took on Finland to see who would claim that second position for the right to join Norway for the Knockout stage of the Women’s Euros. After many crazy moments and the thought that the hosts were done, one single moment propelled them to move into the Quarterfinals as the Swiss advanced on a one goal draw.

No goals were scored in the opening half, but the Swiss were attacking every single moment they had the ball. In the 11th minute, it looked like they were going to take the lead, but a strange play developed. After the free kick was delivered and the ball hit the wall, it popped up, which set up Viola Calligaris for an amazing bicycle kick, but she swung and missed the ball.

In the 22nd minute, Finland had a chance to take the lead. As they earned a corner at the near side, it was delivered across to the far upper corner of the Swiss area. Out of nowhere, Oona Sevenius ran in for a free header, and it was barely blocked and saved by both the defender Calligaris and the Keeper Livia Peng, then cleared out.

Switzerland kept attacking the net, but couldn’t get anything until they were tagged with a foul call on them. In the 77th minute, Finland was inside the Swiss area as Sanni Franssi took the ball to the endline at the far side. She had three Swiss defenders on her. When she chipped it back out, Anni Hartikainen tried to get the loose ball, then was taken down by Callligaris.

The referee didn’t waste any time blowing her whistle and pointing to the spot. Finland got their penalty kick, and it would be Natalia Kuikka to take it, and she buried it in the 79th minute to give her country the lead, but also put the fear into the host nation that their team was about to be grouped and end their run in Geneva.

At the start of second half stoppage time, the Swiss finally got their goal. As they had the ball at the endline on the near side, they started to work it back up. Then a nice pass to Geraldine Reuteler as she took a shot toward the net, but somehow the Finnish Defenders left a lot of space open to allow Riola Xhemaili to tap it in with ease, and the equalizer at the death gives the Swiss the lifeline they needed.

What a rollercoaster ride this match was as both sides wanted to advance to the knockout stage so badly, but unfortunately, the host nation got the result they were looking for as they took second place through goal differential, as they get the plus one, while Finland ended even. This is why these games mean so much when you play tournament football. Now we wait for the rest of the group stage to end this coming weekend.