Second-half goals from Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina saw Spain beat ten-women Switzerland 2-0 to reach the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 semi-finals.
Del Castillo fired the reigning world champions in front with a 66th-minute low strike from Aitana Bonmati’s clever forward-flicked pass.
Pina ultimately secured Spain’s semi-final spot with a stunning 71st-minute curled strike into the top right corner, having intercepted Lia Walti amidst a controversial foul.
Switzerland finished a player down after Noelle Maritz was red carded in injury time for a foul on Salma Paralluelo.
Spain now await the winner of Germany’s Quarter-Final tie against France at Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, on Wednesday 23 July at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time).
Despite hosting this tournament, Switzerland came into this Quarter-Final as underdogs but almost snatched a first-minute lead through Walti, yet her long-distance shot flew wide much to Spain’s relief.
Spain soon turned up the pressure and won a seventh-minute penalty after Nadine Reisen fouled Mariona Caldentey inside the box.
Caldentey stepped up two minutes later and continued the tournament’s habit of horrific penalties as she bent her shot wide of the left corner, before she saw a 11th-minute shot denied by Livia Peng.
Switzerland subsequently enjoyed a positive period of counter-attacking play but Spain dug in defensively with numerous blocks.
Spain soon afterwards regained control and forced a 18th-minute corner up the left flank, which Claudia Pina bent towards the near-top left corner only for Peng to punch it away to keep the Swiss still in the game.
Pina and Olga Carmona saw further shots denied whilst Esther Gonzalez and Irene Paredes saw headers go wide and hit the post respectively, as Spain huffed and puffed into half-time without much reward for their dominance.
Spain’s frustrations continued seconds into the second half as Peng saved Patricia Guijarro’s shot after the latter intercepted a clearance.
Pina saw two further shots denied as Spain continued to terrorise Switzerland’s defence.
Both teams made substitutions in the 62nd minute but it was Switzerland’s sole sub, Alayah Pilgrim who made an immediate impact as she pounced on a counter-attack but her tightly-angled shot was punched away by Coll.
Spain however broke the deadlock in the 66th minute as a nice piece of fast-moving passage found Bonmati inside the box, from which she calmly played a twisted flick forward with back to goal for Del Castillo to rifle into the right corner to put the title favourites ahead.
Their second goal however proved more debatable after Guijarro fouled Walti yet referee, Maria Ferrieri Caputi ignored the incident and waved play on, which allowed Pina to intercept and curl her shot into the top right corner to send the hosts towards the exit door.
Swiss substitute, Leila Wandeler however curled a 77th-minute shot over the bar as the hosts attempted to stage a late comeback.
Iman Beney however ended any hopes of a comeback with a 86th-minute foul on Del Castillo, although Peng did deny Alexia Putellas from the penalty spot as she dived to her left to block the Spaniard’s shot.
Spain eventually saw the tie out to secure a first semi-final appearance in this competition since they finished third in the 1997 edition, whilst Switzerland finished a player down following Maritz’s injury-time red card for a foul on Paralluelo.
Teams
Spain: Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Laia Aleixandri, Olga Carmona (Ouahabi 62′), Aitana Bonmati, Patricia Guijarro, Alexia Putellas (Garcia 90′), Mariona Caldentey (Del Castillo 62′), Esther Gonzalez (Paralluelo 78′), Claudia Pina (Lopez 78′)
Substitutions: Jana Fernandez, Lucia Garcia, Vicky Lopes, Vicky Lopez, Cristiana Martin-Prieto, Maria Mendez, Adriana Nanclares, Leila Ouahabi, Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo, Esther Sullastres, Maite Zubieta, Athenea del Castillo
Switzerland: Livia Peng, Iman Beney (Lehmann 90′), Viola Calligaris, Lia Walti, Noelle Maritz, Nadine Riesen (Wandeler 74′), Geraldine Reuteler, Noemi Ivelj (Pilgrim 62′), Smilla Vallotto (Terchoun 90′), Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Sydney Schertenleib (Xhemaili 90′)
Substitutes: Laia Balleste, Nadine Bohl, Svenja Folmli, Elvira Herzog, Alisha Lehmann, Sandrine Mauron, Alayah Pilgrim, Coumba Sow, Julia Stierli, Meriame Terchoun, Leila Wandeler, Riola Xhemaili
Referee: Maria Ferrieri Caputi (Italy)
Attendance – 29, 734
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