That’s me done. Thanks for reading and for your emails. Congratulations to Switzerland – the first ever time they have reached the knockout stages – and commiserations to Finland. A spectacular end to Group A. Cheers!
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Nick Ames' match report from Geneva
Although a dead rubber, with Norway certain to be top and Iceland certain to be bottom, the other game in Group A was a bit of a ripsnorter.
The Swiss players are still out celebrating on the pitch, and posing for team pictures in front of the rowdy home crowd.
They were mightily close to going out here, but Switzerland do have the bones of a good team here, well above their Fifa ranking of 23. Peng, recently signing for Chelsea, looks like an excellent keeper. There were flashes of quality from Beney, who has just signed for Manchester City. Reuteler and Walti are a formidable duo in midfield and have contrasting and therefore complementary skill sets. Schertenleib is obviously a superstar in the making, and it’s not surprising that she is already at Barcelona. And they do have the strength in depth to change a game, with Wandeler, Crnogorcevic and of course Xhemaili all contributing off the game tonight.
If Switzerland do go through to face Spain, I would not completely write them off, particularly in front of this support.
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“I was watching the game with a bunch of Finns,” emails Kári Tulinius. “As a people, they’re not predisposed to expect good things, but as the clock ticked down, they got more and more excited. Now they’re on the floor and draped across furniture. Hope is what kills you.”
Switzerland finish second in Group A and qualify behind Norway and will now face the winners of Group B, which will almost certainly be Spain. Tournament hosts versus reigning World Cup champions. That is some game.
A sell-out crowd tonight in Geneva, 30,000 people in attendance, and nearly all of them are on their feet, furiously cheering their heroes. Pia Sundhage, Switzerland’s head coach and legendary figure, simply smiles. Even she has not seen scenes like this before.
Some of Finland’s players are in tears, and only the harshest critic would deny them those. That was such a cruel way to go out. Finland were excellent against Norway, and lost the game late on. They beat Iceland. They snatched elimination from the jaws of qualification here. Football hurts sometimes.
Full-time: Finland 1-1 Switzerland
Scenes at the whistle! Finland’s players slump to the turf, they are absolutely gutted. Switzerland rejoice! They are through at Finland’s expense!
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90+6 min: Not quite! One more free-kick, one more punt into the Swiss box. The camera pans to the home fans, all of whom seem to be biting their nails down to the stumps. The ball comes in, it drops … and Ahtinen skews a wild shot over the bar! Surely that is that!
90+4 min: With that goal, Switzerland are now going through on goal difference, and Finland are now going out! Finland win a free-kick on the half-way line and everyone is going forward, including goalkeeper Koivunen. Lehtola wins the initial flick-on for Finland but Swiss keeper Peng claims bravely at the back post, beating Rantala to the ball! Is that it?!
GOAL! Finland 1-1 Switzerland (Xhemaili 90+2)
Has Xhemaili saved Switzerland’s skin in stoppage time?! Some neat play down the right from the Swiss earns Reuteler some space on the edge of the area. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder shoots but drags her low shot across goal, but it actually turns into a perfect cross-shot for Xhemaili at the back post, and the substitute taps in to send the Geneva crowd wild! Wooooooooow!
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90 min: Chance for Crnogorcevic! Switzerland go close once again, but the veteran can’t quite direct her header correctly, and gets too much on a near-post cross, nodding over the bar.
Seven minutes added on!
88 min: The substitution of Schertenleib now looks all the more bizarre, now that Switzerland need a goal. Still, they press forward and win a free-kick in Finland’s half. Vallotto lumps it forward, the loose ball drops inside Finland’s six-yard box, but Koivisto is first to it! The Finland right back has perhaps been the player of the match tonight, winning all her duels and showing charismatic energy going forward. Remember, it was Koivisto who won the penalty.
86 min: Those substitutes have both enlivened the Swiss and deepened the Finnish defensive line. It’s attack versus defence now. Kitchen-sink stuff. Can Finland hold on?
84 min: Promising free-kick for Switzerland as Siren brings down Walti on the edge of Finland’s box. Substitute Xhemaili is over it, but the PSV player blazes it over!
82 min: More changes from both sides.
Finland bring off Kosola for Roth. Switzerland bring on Xhemaili and Lehmann. They simply have to score.
80 min: The air has completely gone out of the stadium. Switzerland look stunned.
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Finland 1-0 Switzerland (Kuikka 78 pen)
Peng dives right and Kuikka holds her nerve, passing it into the opposite corner! Finland are in dreamland! They are just 12 minutes away from the knockout stages. Switzerland are just 12 minutes from going out of their own tournament!
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Penalty to Finland!
This could be the decisive goal in this group! Concede here and lose, and Switzerland go out, Finland through! It’s an ugly tangle in their box, with Calligaris bringing down Koivisto after good work from Franssi, but there’s no doubt that is a penalty. As clear as they come!
74 min: Chance for Switzerland! Wandeler bursts down the right, swings in a cross but it’s just too high for Maritz at the back post!
72 min: Finland make another double change: Lehtola and Rantala on for Sallstrom and Summanen.
Switzerland also make a change: Pilgrim for the impressive Schertenleib. Again, another surprising change! The Barcelona teenager has been one of the best players on the pitch.
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70 min: Finland get free down the right with Franssi and the London City Lionesses forward crosses early towards two of her teammates in the middle, but the Swiss veteran Crnogorcevic makes a vital clearance. Switzerland were temporarily outnumbered there!
69 min: When do Finland go for broke? Just 20 minutes left for them to get a goal.
67 min: There were a bit of afters after that coming together between Wälti and Summanen, who pushed her north London rival in the back off the ball. Wälti gets some treatment but both players are OK to continue.
65 min: Wälti picks Summanen pocket in midfield – Arsenal and Tottenham clashing – and suddenly Switzerland have the ball and four on three! But Wandeler wastes the attack with a wayward shot when she had options left and right!
62 min: Vallotto shoots for Switzerland, but Koivunen gets down well to her near post. Better from the hosts.
59 min: A Finland goal would change everything and after a bit of pinball around the Swiss area, Koivisto breaks to the byline, only to be edged out by the retreating Schertenleib. Danger signs for Swiss, who are in danger of being a bit too defensive, here.
56 min: Finland make a double change. Ahtinen and Franssi come on for Oling and Sevenius. Perhaps a bit surprisingly to see Sevenius removed, she scored against Norway and is one of Finland’s chief attacking threats.
54 min: Tense, nervy play from both sides. Neither want to make a decisive mistake. The onus is on Finland to get the goal and they are not yet throwing everything forward.
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51 min: Finland have pressed brilliantly in this tournament and so nearly nick the ball deep in Switzerland’s half – Oling nearly coming away with it – but Reuteler pounces on the loose ball to tidy things up for the Swiss. She always seems to be in the right position.
49 min: Schertenleib has a scurry down down the left flank for Switzerland but Koivisto does exceptionally well to keep pace with the Barcelona forward before executing an expertly-timed tackle.
47 min: “Finland playing better than in the previous two games, but I guess the conventional wisdom is that it’s better for the competition if the hosts progress, and keep the crowds coming?” emails Charles Antaki. “The local fans seem an enthusiastic sort, in a clean-cut, affable sort of way. Even their boos sound polite.”
Peeeeeeeeep!
Switzerland have made two changes. Riesen and Folmli are replaced. On comes Crnogorcevic for her 172nd international cap – nobody has played more for Switzerland – while the young Bayern forward Wandeler is also brought on.
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Finland 0-0 Switzerland
Switzerland have had the vast majority of the chances, but it’s Finland who have come the closest with that late Peng save!
45 min: One minute added on here.
44 min: Amazing save from Peng in the Swiss goal! Finland swing a deep free-kick into the box, the ball takes a double deflection of Wälti and I think Sallstrom, before the ball deflects towards the near post. Peng is going the other way, but quickly readjusts and flings herself to her right, just clawing the ball out from her goalline.
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42 min: A one-two nearly unlocks the Swiss defence and only a magnificent sliding tackle from Riesen prevents the overlapping Koivisto from getting in behind. It was a perfectly timed tackle inside the Swiss box, and it had to be!
39 min: Finland remain a threat in this game, particularly down the left with Kosola. West Ham’s Oona Siren has also been very useful in midfield for Finland.
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37 min: Schertenleib gets free down the right but tries a snazzy chop past her marker when a simple turn would have done. Finland get back in numbers and crowd out the Barcelona forward. Schertenleib is sublimely talented and obviously bound for big things at just 18 years old, but that wasn’t a very intelligent piece of play.
34 min: Reuteler is booked for a late tackle on Eveliina Summanen, the Tottenham midfielder, who has looked tidy in the opening half. Boos from the raucous Swiss crowd as Reuteler is shown the yellow card, she is obviously the home hero.
32 min: Close from Reuteler! Schertenleib gets to the byline and cuts back neatly to Reuteler on the edge of the box. The 26-year-old takes the shot first time with her left foot … just wide! It was a sliced effort of sorts that looped towards the back post but just fell the wrong side of the post.
29 min: Kosola skips away from Beney but Reuteler is there to tidy up for Switzerland. The latter has got her plaudits for her attacking game this tournament but she does the ugly defensive side of it so well.
27 min: With that other game in mind, it’s worth repeating exactly what is at stake here. Norway have already topped the group and Iceland are definitely last, having lost their opening two games. This match, Finland v Switzerland, is effectively a battle for that second qualifying spot. Both teams are level on points but Switzerland are ahead on goal difference, which means the tournament hosts only need a draw here to qualify.
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25 min: Beney takes a ball flush to the face. Ooooof, that’s a stinger for the new Manchester City recruit. A brief pause in play.
Two goals to tell you about in the other Group A game tonight. It’s Norway 1-1 Iceland. Join Sarah Rendell for live updates.
23 min: Whisper it, but after a slow start, Finland are on top. There is a nervous hush around the stadium. The home fans have quietened.
21 min: From the resulting corner, Peng makes another save as Sevenius ghosts into the far corner completely unmarked and plants a strong header low towards the near post. Peng gets down well but only parries and there is a frantic goalmouth scramble as Finland try to force the ball home, and Switzerland away. The latter win the battle of the bounce, and are fortunate to get away with that one.
20 min: Speaking of players that have just moved to the WSL, Switzerland keeper Livia Peng makes her first contribution, clawing a Finland corner behind. It’s a good job the new Chelsea signing did get something on it, as Sallstrom was lurking at the back post.
18 min: We haven’t seen too much of Switzerland’s Iman Beney, who has just signed for Manchester City. The 18-year-old, of Brazilian descent, has had a quiet start to the game.
15 min: In case you hadn’t gathered by my last few posts, Finland are really under the cosh. They will hope to keep this goalless, frustrate Switzerland, and maybe nab a goal on the break.
13 min: Switzerland pour forward once more! Schertenleib knuckle-balls a fierce, dipping shot from 25 yards towards the top corner … saved by Koivunen! The Finland keeper pushes to her left but Switzerland soon have the ball back, whipping a low cross towards Folmli, who audiciously backheels a finish towards the back post … just wide! That was a very similar attempt to that famous Kanu goal against Middlesbrough in 1999.
11 min: Big chance for Calligaris! From the resulting free kick, Riesen swings a ball to the back post, there’s a knock down from Folmli and Calligaris, up from the back, tries a spectacular bicycle kick from just six yards out. She has a free swing at it, but airballs the shot! What a waste!
10 min: A very soft free kick for Switzerland as Koivisto pulls back Riesen. The Swiss are going to load the box, with the set piece to come in from deep on the left wing.
8 min: The Swiss crowd is really up for this one. The hosts are in no mood to end their tournament tonight.
6 min: Huge block(s) to deny Maritz! Folmli held the ball up well for Switzerland in Finland’s box, laid the ball back towards the penalty spot. Maritz took a touch and three Finland bodies flung themselves in front of the shot. Great defending.
3 min: First half chance, though, comes on a Switzerland counter-attack! Finland are loose with the ball in midfield and Schertenleib pounces, breaking a Finnish tackle and nearly setting Reuteler off down the right, but those in white get back in numbers and crowd out the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder when she was threatening to cut into the box on her left foot.
2 min: Both sides feeling each other out. Surprisingly, it’s Finland who are on the front foot with possession. They have tended to favour the counter-attack in this tournament.
Peeeeeeeep!
We’re off.
The teams are out! It’s a gorgeous evening in Geneva, around 23°C. The referee tonight, Stephanie Frappart, is probably the best in the world. This is her fifth major tournament.
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Géraldine Reuteler was brilliant in Switzerland’s own win over Iceland, earning the player of the match award. She offers a more attacking threat than Wälti in midfield and Finland will be wary of her here.
In case you didn’t see Finland’s 1-0 win over Iceland, Katariina Kosola scored one of the goals of the tournament so far. Wow.
Switzerland’s star player is undoubtedly Lia Wälti. The Arsenal star captains her country and has played every minute of the tournament so far, anchoring the midfield.
This profile from our Switzerland team guide, provides some more detail:
Lia Wälti lost her starting place at Arsenal during the second half of the season but she is still the most important player for the national team. Her calmness on the ball and her experience are huge factors for the team to function at its best. Off the pitch she is the squad’s integration figurehead, making sure that the younger players feel welcome. She is the public face of the Nati and, since 2019, its captain. She won the Champions League with Arsenal in May but has had problems getting back to her best after surgery to remove an abscess at the end of last year. Wälti’s fitness is one of the big questions going into the Euros – for Switzerland she is simply irreplaceable.
“Finland v Switzerland, the Neutrality Derby!” emails Peter Oh. “It should be exciting even for neutrals like me.”
This being the final group game, the other two teams in Group A – Norway and Iceland – are kicking off at the same time. You can follow that match with Sarah Rendell right here. Norway are already qualified for the knockout stages and are feeling confident enough to leave Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg on the bench.
Team news!
Finland: Koivunen, Tynnila, Kuikka, Nystrom, Emma Koivisto, Summanen, Oona Siren, Sevenius, Oling, Kosola, Sallstrom.
Subs: Tamminen, Korpela, Vilma Koivisto, Hartikainen, Ahtinen, Emmi Siren, Heroum, Kollanen, Lehtola, Franssi, Roth, Rantala.
Switzerland: Peng, Beney, Calligaris, Stierli, Maritz, Riesen, Reuteler, Walti, Vallotto, Schertenleib, Folmli.
Subs: Herzog, Bohi, Wandeler, Ivelj, Xhemaili, Crnogorcevic, Sow, Balleste, Mauron, Pilgrim, Lehmann.
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)
Preamble
An absolutely gargantuan game of football here.
Hosts of Euro 2025, Switzerland, are level on points with today’s opponents, Finland. The former have never before reached the knockout stage of a European Championship but hold a slender one-goal advantage over Finland with their goal difference, meaning a draw will do for the Swiss.
Don’t count out Finland, who only narrowly lost to group favourites Norway in their last game. Wide players Katariina Kosola and Emma Koivisto have particularly impressed in a team that has pressed well so far this tournament, beating Iceland in their opener. They look well drilled under Marko Saloranta, and I expect them to come out fighting tonight.
Geneva is absolutely rocking, by the way, with fans from both sides organising a fan walk to the stadium. The atmosphere looks sensational.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
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