Riola Xhemaili’s 92nd-minute equaliser saw Switzerland qualify for the Quarter-Finals of UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 with a 1-1 comeback draw against Finland.
Viola Calligaris fouled Emma Koivisto in the 77th minute on the by-line which allowed Natalia Kuikka two minutes later to roll in the penalty to put Finland on the cusp of qualification.
Switzerland however snatched the Group A runner-up spot after Xhemaili turned in Geraldine Reuteler’s low cross at her near-left corner to salvage a crucial draw and knockout place in the Quarter-Finals at the Finnish’s expense on goal difference.
Norway progressed as Group A winners after braces from Signe Gaupset and Frida Maanum saw them come from 1-0 down to beat bottom-placed Iceland 4-3, after Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir put the Icelandic side ahead before Hlin Eiriksdottir and Glodis Viggosdottir netted consolatory goals.
Switzerland advance into the Quarter-Finals as Group A runners-up and will now await the Group B winner on Friday 18 July at Stadion Wankdorf, Bern in a 9pm CEST (8pm BST) kick-off.
Locked on three points apiece with Switzerland marginally ahead on goal difference, Finland knew that only victory would see them progress but they found themselves defending deep early on as Noelle Maritz and Sydney Schertenleib saw chances denied for the fast-starting Swiss.
Amidst a brief revival for Finland midway through the first-half which came to very little, Schertenleib almost turned provider in the 33rd minute with a cutback pass which Reuteler curled wide of the left corner.
Livia Peng however kept Switzerland on course for promotion with a crucial 45th-minute save after a Finland free-kick was almost headed by Lia Walti into her own goal.
Nerves soon began to show in a scruffy second half of little notable quality aside from Oona Siren’s long-range wide shot in the 47th minute for Finland, whilst Anna Koivunen saved Smilla Vallotto’s 63rd-minute shot to keep Finland’s hopes alive.
Switzerland almost found the breakthrough goal in the 73rd minute from a cross by Leila Wandeler into the box, yet Vallotto headed over unmarked in a frustrating moment for the hosts.
That moment proved costly just four minutes later as Calligaris fouled Koivisto on the by-line, which resulted in Kuikka rolling the penalty past Peng to put the tournament hosts on the cusp of elimination.
Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic almost snatched qualification from the jaws of defeat for the Swiss but headed Vallotto’s cross over the bar in the 90th minute, as the hosts cranked up the intensity to try and save their campaign.
Xhemaili however proved to be the Swiss’ hero just two minutes into injury-time as Crnogorcevic’s low ball was played on by Reuteler, which the 22-year-old met to turn in to her near left corner to send the hosts through to the Quarter-Finals.
Teams
Finland: Anna Koivunen, Emma Koivisto, Natalia Kuikka, Eva Nystrom, Joanna Tynnila, Ria Oling (Ahtinen 57′), Oona Siren, Eveliina Summanen (Lehtola 72′), Katariina Kosola (Roth 82′), Oona Sevenius (Franssi 57′), Linda Sallstrom (Rantala 72′)
Substitutes: Olga Ahtinen, Sanni Franssi, Anni Hartikainen, Nora Heroum, Vilma Koivisto, Heidi Kollanen, Tinja-Riikka Korpela, Nea Lehtola, Jutla Rantala, Maaria Roth, Oona Sevenius, Emmi Siren, Anna Tamminen
Switzerland: Livia Peng, Iman Beney (Lehmann 82′), Viola Calligaris, Julia Stierli (Xhemaili 81′), Noelle Maritz, Nadine Riesen (Crnogorcevic 46′), Geraldine Reuteler, Lia Walti, Smilla Vallotto, Sydney Schertenleib (Pilgrim 71′), Svenja Folmli (Wandeler 46′)
Substitutes: Laia Balleste, Nadine Bohl, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Elvira Herzog, Noemi Ivelj, Alisha Lehmann, Sandrine Mauron, Alayah Pilgrim, Coumba Sow, Leila Wandeler, Riola Xhemaili
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