Thank you for joining me this evening for this quarter-final. Switzerland were almost tactically perfect but world champions Spain were patient and they have booked their spot in the Euros semi-finals where they will play either France or Germany. To catch up with tonight’s action read the report below. We will be back with the final quarter-final tomorrow night so I will see you then.
Here’s a good piece on England’s defensive issues:
Our reporter on the ground Suzy Wrack reports there are emotional celebrations between Switzerland and their supporters at the stadium. On social media the squad have stood together in a line and are jumping up and down in front of their fans, who do the same back to them. They more than deserve it, they have made history by reaching the quarter-finals of a women’s major tournament for the first time and put in a great performance against Spain.
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Here’s a preview of France v Germany quarter-final, which is set to be a tasty match up:
Spain have reached their first Euros semi-final since 1997 where they will play either France or Germany. The final quarter-final will be played tomorrow.
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The Switzerland players are in a huddle and the fans have largely stayed in the stadium to applaud their team. It was quite the performance for a team more the 20 places lower than Spain in the world rankings.
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As you would expect boos rain down as the full time whistle goes as the crowd is full of Swiss supporters. Switzerland players are crying but they have changed women’s football in their country forever with their run to the quarter-finals.
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Full time: Spain 2-0 Switzerland
Spain get the job done but it was far from easy. Switzerland made them uncomfortable until midway through the second half where the world champions found their opener through Athenea del Castillo. Claudia Pina doubled their lead and the game was put to bed. The host nation are out but they can be so proud of their efforts.
90 + 3 min: Maritz gets the ball but she also gets Paralluelo and she’s the last defender. A tough way for her to end her game as she has been stellar all night, the fans give her a standing ovation as she comes off.
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RED CARD! Spain 2-0 Switzerland (Maritz, 90 +2)
Defender is off.
90 + 1 min: There will be three minutes added. Can the hosts give their fans something more to cheer?
89 min: The referee was absolutely right to give Spain that penalty, it looked like dangerous play from Beney. She isn’t given a red card for the action though. Putellas rocketed that at goal by Peng, who is a new Chelsea player, saves very well. That was Putellas’ last action with L Garcia on. A triple change for the Swiss.
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PENALTY SAVE! Spain 2-0 Switzerland (Putellas, 88)
What a save from Peng.
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87 min: Has the referee just blown for a penalty? She may have. So confusing with the crowd mute. But yes, Spain have a penalty from a Beney foul on Del Castillo.
86 min: Although it does look like the hosts are about to be knocked out, they can be proud of this performance. They handled Spain almost completely – aside from the penalty – in the first half and were tactically astute. But the world champions were patient and pounced when they could.
84 min: Crnogorcevic receives a yellow card for a foul as Spain looked to peel forward again. They do win a free kick too with Lopez and Putellas standing over it. Putellas takes but it’s headed clear.
82 min: Putellas thinks she has won a corner but it’s then given as a free kick. That may be because the Spanish icon was offside in the build-up but who knows. The announcement comes that across the first three quarter-finals, Euro 2025 have broken the attendance for accumulative quarters crowd with 78,407 watching so far. That’s with one quarter to go, absolutely incredible.
80 min: Imagine working your hardest to close down players like Pina, Gonzalez and Caldentey all evening and then the likes of Paralluelo come on. Dove has emailed:
How is Aleixandri still on the pitch?
I have been wondering that myself. She has put two questionable challenges in since her yellow card but she remains in the game.
78 min: Walti finds Schertenleib but she can’t get the cross in fast enough and they forced back to the halfway line. They continue to press but Wandeler’s chance goes over the bar. Spain make two more changes with Pina off for Lopez and Gonzalez off for Paralluelo.
75 min: Riesen is off for Wandeler as Switzerland look to get back into this game.
74 min: It’s worth highlighting as many may not know this if you are new to the game and are used to Spain dominating, Spain have not reached a Euros semi-final since 1997. They look well on their way now.
73 min: Walti really should have kept going, VAR is in operation and so if there was a foul it would have been chalked off. Surely that’s the game now? But if you watched the England game yesterday then you know you can’t count a team out.
Switzerland fans are booing as they felt there was a foul in the build-up, Walti stopped but the referee waved them on and so Spain continued. Pina then made them pay with an absolute belter.
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GOAL! Spain 2-0 Switzerland (Pina, 71)
Wow.
70 min: Coll was very high there, Pilgrim is picked out with a long pass but the keeper does just enough. If she didn’t get to that, it would’ve been a big mistake.
68 min: How will Switzerland respond? The answer is with ferocious attack. Pilgrim is fed the ball but Coll reads it well to come out and collect.
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As soon as that reached her feet everyone knew that was going in. The substitute set herself well in the box as Bonmati puts her through, a lovely tap home and Peng is well beaten.
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GOAL! Spain 1-0 Switzerland (Del Castillo, 66)
There it is.
66 min: Even if Spain go through in this game, Switzerland are showing every other team in the tournament how to deal with the world champions. Switzerland look to break and Pilgrim is belted to the floor by Paredes. She doesn’t get a yellow much to the dismay of the crowd.
64 min: Pilgrim is immediately involved in the action and she whacks the ball at goal, Coll saves really well. No question marks over her athleticism or reflexes.
63 min: The set piece delivery is good but this time it is headed clear first time of asking. Stunned that didn’t go in on the first corner. But no time to dwell as Switzerland make their first change with Pilgrim on for Ivelj. For Spain, Ouahabi is on for Carmona and Caldentey is off for Del Castillo.
61 min: Riesen this time with the great tackle with Bonmati attempting to cross it in. She concedes a corner and it’s popped in. How has that not been scored? Guijarro smacks the bar, it pinballs and smacks the other bar and it’s out for another corner.
60 min: Bonmati wanted a free kick on the edge of the box there but the referee doesn’t give it. Spain keep plugging away, surely they will find a way through? Not this time with Gonzalez’header going wide.
58 min: Putellas initially does well to keep a chance alive but it’s Reuteler again who manages to nab it back. As always though Spain get it back and Pina rifles off a shot on the edge of the area but it’s well wide.
56 min: Walti tries to find Beney with a great ball but Paredes is wise to it. It will be interesting to see how Coll deals with shots at goal if they happen because this is her first appearance this tournament as she had been suffering with tonsilitis. May make things interesting if we do get as far as spot kicks.
54 min: Pina cleverly wins a free kick as she puts in a poor pass. Spain start an attack from it and Carmona volleys them up the pitch but again Switzerland are there to muscle them off of the ball.
52 min: Schertenleib makes a great run but then takes the wrong decision as she launches a long range ball towards goal which is way over the bar. Switzerland need to take their chances when they have them as they are far and few between.
51 min: Reuteler with another great interception, she has been phenomenal this tournament. Possession goes back and forth but it eventually comes to Peng. This game has an air of penalties about it and I don’t know if my nerves will take it.
49 min: Pina that was lovely, beating two defenders but the Riesen closes her down. A few passes later Schertenleib goes up for a header Aleixandri, the Swiss star is okay to continue.
47 min: Nope, no changes. Kári Tulinius has emailed:
Objectively this is ridiculous to say, as Spain have been so much better, but to me it feels like Swiss might just nick this one. There is no rationality behind this, just vibes. Logic says that Spain will eventually score, but knockout football isn’t logical, especially when the home side is playing.
I do see what you mean and it may also be because the crowd at the stadium are with the Swiss, making the momentum all theirs. I still think Spain will go through but this is a performance Switzerland can be proud of. Spain take a shot early on through Guijarro but Peng collects.
Back underway: Spain 0-0 Switzerland
Can the hosts hold on and push this to extra time? Or can they find a winner to create an upset? Spain will not go away in attack so I’m guessing we will have a few open play goals regardless. I don’t think either have made a change at the break – I’ll correct myself shortly if I’m wrong.
Here is our latest offering from our weekly women’s football newsletter Moving the Goalposts. It’s the perfect piece to read during half-time with a cuppa:
Half-time: Spain 0-0 Switzerland
Switzerland are putting on a defensive masterclass and have stopped Spain’s lethal attack from pulling the trigger. Spain did win a penalty after Nadine Riesen fouled Mariona Caldentey but the Arsenal player put it wide. All square at the break.
45 + 1 min: Reuteler take a bow. She beats three Spanish defenders and feeds an exquisite ball up field, wow. The hosts get it into the box but Spain mange to clear.every time they get in the box the stadium comes alive. Two minutes added.
44 min: Pina sends it in but Switzerland clear quite easily on that one.
43 min: Spain win a corner and Pina is over the set piece again. The delivery is good and it pinballs around, smacking the post int he process but somehow Switzerland bungle it clear. It comes back in though and Paredes wins another corner.
42 min: I am so impressed with Switzerland’s tactics so far. Spain are not able to play their free-flowing football with the Swiss always stuck to them. An example, Bonmati crosses it in but it’s so well read by Reuteler who clears the danger.
40 min: Aleixandri playing fast and loose remember as she has already been given a yellow card. Still the world champions try to find a way through but Guijarro is offside.
39 min: Schertenleib does so well to win the ball and Beney comes running over the receive the ball but Aleixandri puts her on the floor. Instead of a free kick to the Swiss though, Spain get the set piece – mindboggling. They work their way up the pitch in search of an opener.
37 min: Carmona does really well to keep that on and keeps the play alive. It eventually comes to Gonzalez but it’s out for a goal kick.
35 min: Switzerland are down a player as Spain take a corner through Pina but Calligaris defends it well but it’s out for another corner. Schertenleib jogs back onto the pitch before it’s taken, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. They take the set piece short and it eventually comes to Carmona but her attempt is well over the bar.
33 min: Schertenleib, who hobbles to the sideline, had her foot planted and didn’t take too much contact which makes me think of the dreaded three letter injury. But let’s hope for the best, she is one of the stars of this team.
32 min: Switzerland’s attack doesn’t go to plan and Spain counter, Bonmati squares it but it’s cleared. A goal feels like it’s coming but I’m just unsure for whom. Schertenleib is down and remains so as Spain play on, their shot deflected wide. The teenager has remained down and this is worrying.
30 min: Bonmati’s effort now goes wide, everything Spain are trying right now just isn’t working.
28 min: Switzerland’s defence are inch perfect right now, muscling Spain off of the ball but without drawing a foul and leaving the world champions slightly flustered.
27 min: Aleixandri gets a yellow card for a foul on Beney and with that, if Spain progress, the former Manchester City player will be suspended for their semi-final. The free kick is deep in Switzerland’s half so they will have to build here and they do just that but Coll and her back line wrestle possession back.
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25 min: Spain win the ball and Carmona pops it in the area, a few passes later though and it’s Martiz who clears the ball. Spain have yet another chance and Pina takes a powerful shot but Peng collects. A fun fact, this is the 18th game in a row at a major tournament that Maritz and Walti have lined up for Switzerland next to each other in the back line.
23 min: Switzerland win a free kick and Pina kicks the ball away in frustration, the referee has a word. The ball is worked down the right by Reuteler and it comes to Vallotto who passes to Crnogorcevic but her shot is saved. Switzerland in a good moment.
21 min: The Swiss press is working so well at the moment at stopping Spain’s flow, the question I keep asking though is how long can they keep this up? If they can continue throughout the match, then this will be an interesting quarter. But if they start to tire, I fear Spain will start to run riot.
19 min: Pina goes down, potentially a little too easily, and she wins a free kick. She takes it herself and it’s launched directly at goal but Peng makes an incredible save. Or I could say a Peng save… Okay I had to get that out of my system and I won’t use the pun again.
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17 min: Reuteler wins a free kick in a great position because of a foul from Pina. Schertenleib pops it in but it’s cleared, a good chance but just not executed well enough.
15 min: What a ball from Walti. Her vision opens up Spain’s defence and Beney receives the ball, taking it into the area. She pops it in but Spain manage to clear.
13 min: David Marriott has emailed:
Poetic justice there on the penalty. What a soft decision.
I disagree, I don’t think Riesen got any of the ball and Caldentey went down in the box. A penalty all day but maybe I need to take another look at a replay. Back to the game Switzerland build well but the final pass isn’t good enough to create a chance.
12 min: Peng is needed to make a save as Spain look to make up for that penalty miss, the keeper pushes it in front of goal but no one is there for Spain to turn it home. Maritz then has a great bit of defence to marshal the ball out of play for a goal kick.
10 min: The cheers as that went wide was deafening. The jeers were so loud as Caldentey prepared for it and now the Swiss fans are banging their drums, potentially a key moment in this quarter.
There was no doubt about the decision to give the penalty, Riesen definitely fouled Caldentey in the box. She steps up to take it herself and hits it wide. Wow.
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PENALTY MISS! Spain 0-0 Switzerland (Caldentey, 8)
Oh my.
8 min: Gonzalez has a great run with Caldentey picking her out with a long range pass but it has too much on it and Peng can collect. Spain are quickly back in possession, which is no surprise as they had 75% of the ball during their group stage, and they get into the area. Riesen tackles Caldentey and it’s a penalty!
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6 min: The crowd here are in full voice, it’s an amazing atmosphere for the hosts to play in. Spain less so as their fans are outnumbered. Switzerland’s defence is well drilled so far and are sticking to the Spanish attack like glue.
4 min: Putellas and Carmona try and link up be Switzerland read it well to intercept and clear. Spain quickly get a move together with a ball squad to Ballon d’Or holder Bonmati but it is again cleared.
2 min: Switzerland are in white kits today with Spain in their famous red but the crowd is mostly red because of the nations’ shared colour. The host start well with Walti taking a long range effort but it’s well over.
Kick-off! Spain 0-0 Switzerland
You are watching a moment of history in this game as Switzerland have never played in a women’s major tournament quarter-final. Can they continue their campaign as the host nation? Spain will have something to say about that.
The players are out and the anthems will soon follow. Will there be an upset tonight? The home crowd will be willing it on.
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Want to whet your appetite for France v Germany tomorrow night? Have a read of this one:
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If you want to catch up with all the discussions around the first two quarters then we have you covered with the latest episode of the women’s football weekly:
Jeremy Boyce has emailed:
These quarter finals are cranking up through the gears. Wednesday, looked like a cliff-hanger until Italy won it late on. Thursday, unbelievable tension and thrills for 120 mins and more,. What will Friday bring us ? I can see that Switzerland are a well-organised collective, but come on, they’re up against the best women’s team in the world. It will surpass Wednesday and Thursday combined if they can pull this one off. They won’t, Spain are “simply the best”. But that adds a bit of piquant to tomorrow’s sauce, what can Germany - France serve up as entertainment ?
Spain have long-since surpassed USWNT as the best in class and have a team of heroes/heroines. But have I missed a memo somewhere ? Where is the ultimate hero Jenni Hermoso? Crocked? Not selected? Retired?
You’re right the quarter-finals have been great to watch so far and tonight’s is sure to follow suit. Switzerland definitely have a tough job but who knows? It’s tournament football so anything can happen. To answer your question about Hermodo, she isn’t injured or retired, just not selected. If anyone else wants to get in touch, email me.
While Switzerland’s Pia Sundhage added:
The words coming to my mind are: ‘It is possible.’ So, even though it’s difficult, it is possible. And, as long as it’s possible, we’re trying. The quarter-final is something special. It’s in or out. It’s Spain – the world champions – which makes it even more special. But, the whole set-up, the fact that we are underdogs. Yeah, OK. Again and again, I’ll say: ‘It is possible.’
Montse Tomé, Spain’s coach, has said:
We know it’s an important quarter-final, and we’re focused on what we need to do. The team is ready, we have a clear plan to attack Switzerland and defend against their fast transitions. We’re eager for the match to begin. We know we’ll be playing away with a crowd supporting Switzerland, but we’re focused on our work and preparation. The players will have their minds on the game plan, and that will help us compete.
And here are some players to look at for from Switzerland:
Here are some Spanish stars to look out for today:
The team news is in. Spain make six changes to their starting XI from their win against Italy last time out, most notably there’s a change of goalkeeper with Cata Coll in.
Spain: Coll; Carmona, Aleixandri, Paredes, Batlle; Putellas, Guijarro, Bonmati; Pina, Gonzalez, Caldentey
Subs: Sullastres, Nanclares, Fernàndez, Méndez,Athenea, Ouahabi, Martin-Prieto, L. García, Paralluelo, Vicky, Redondo, M. Zubieta
Switzerland, meanwhile, make two changes from their draw to Finland. Svenja Fölmli and Julia Stierli drop to the bench with Ana Crnogorcevic and Noemi Ivelj coming in.
Switzerland: Peng; Beney, Calligaris, Walti, Maritz, Riesen; Reuteler, Ivelj, Vallotto, Crnogorcevic, Schertenleib
Subs: Herzog, Böhi, Stierli, Wandeler, Xhemaili, Terchoun, Sow, Ballesté, Mauron, Fölmli, Pilgrim, Lehmann
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The odds are against Switzerland but they believe they can cause an upset against Spain, read more here:
Here’s some reaction to England’s dramatic comeback against Sweden last night:
England got through to the semi-finals last night but they had to comeback from 2-0 down to do so. Here’s a great piece from Jonathan Liew on the game:
The other side of the draw have decided their semi-final already with Italy taking on defending champions England. This side of the draw though is wide open. Spain v Switzerland will decide the first team, while France and Germany play tomorrow to decide the other.
There is a Spanish star at the top of the Golden Boot race as things stand, you can find out who here:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Euro 2025 quarter-final between Spain and Switzerland. Every knockout game at a major tournament has storylines within it but this one has blockbuster undertones.
Spain are the heavy favourites to progress as they are the team who most fans expect to lift the trophy come the end of the tournament. The world champions have the experience of many knockout games, including that impressive World Cup winning run in 2023.
Switzerland, on the other hand, are in the women’s Euros quarters for the first time and it would be a huge upset if they managed to remain in the competition. The Swiss are also the hosts and so there is the added layer to this game of having home advantage.
Before the team news drops at around 6.45pm BST, we will take a look at what has been said in the build-up and what has been happening across the tournament.
