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Key occasions
That’s me achieved. Thanks for studying and in your emails. Congratulations to Switzerland – the primary ever time they’ve reached the knockout levels – and commiserations to Finland. A spectacular finish to Group A. Cheers!
Nick Ames’ match report from Geneva
Though a lifeless rubber, with Norway sure to be prime and Iceland sure to be backside, the opposite recreation in Group A was a little bit of a ripsnorter.
The Swiss gamers are nonetheless out celebrating on the pitch, and posing for crew photos in entrance of the rowdy house crowd.
They had been mightily near going out right here, however Switzerland do have the bones of crew right here, properly above their Fifa rating of 23. Peng, lately signing for Chelsea, appears to be like like a wonderful keeper. There have been flashes of high quality from Beney, who has simply signed for Manchester Metropolis. Reuteler and Walti are a formidable duo in midfield and have contrasting and due to this fact complementary talent units. Schertenleib is clearly a celebrity within the making, and it’s not shocking that she is already at Barcelona. They usually do have the power in depth to vary a recreation, with Wandeler, Crnogorcevic and naturally Xhemaili all contributing off the sport tonight.
If Switzerland do undergo to face Spain, I’d not fully write them off, significantly in entrance of this assist.
“I used to be watching the sport with a bunch of Finns,” emails Kári Tulinius. “As a folks, they’re not predisposed to anticipate good issues, however because the clock ticked down, they bought increasingly excited. Now they’re on the ground and draped throughout furnishings. Hope is what kills you.”
Switzerland end second in Group A and qualify behind Norway and can now face the winners of Group B, which can nearly actually be Spain. Match hosts versus reigning World Cup champions. That’s some recreation.
A sell-out crowd tonight in Geneva, 30,000 folks in attendance, and almost all of them are on their toes, furiously cheering their heroes. Pia Sundhage, Switzerland’s head coach and legendary determine, merely smiles. Even she has not seen scenes like this earlier than.
A few of Finland’s gamers are in tears, and solely the harshest critic would deny them these. That was such a merciless strategy to exit. Finland had been glorious towards Norway, and misplaced the sport late on. They beat Iceland. They snatched elimination from the jaws of qualification right here. Soccer hurts typically.
Full-time: Finland 1-1 Switzerland
Scenes on the whistle! Finland’s gamers hunch to the turf, they’re completely gutted. Switzerland rejoice! They’re via at Finland’s expense!
90+6 min: Not fairly! Yet one more free-kick, yet another punt into the Swiss field. The digital camera pans to the house followers, all of whom appear to be biting their nails right down to the stumps. The ball is available in, it drops … and Ahtinen skews a wild shot over the bar! Certainly that’s that!
90+4 min: With that objective, Switzerland are actually going via on objective distinction, and Finland are actually going out! Finland win a free-kick on the half-way line and everybody goes ahead, together with goalkeeper Koivunen. Lehtola wins the preliminary flick-on for Finland however Swiss keeper Peng claims bravely on the again submit, beating Rantala to the ball! Is that it?!
GOAL! Finland 1-1 Switzerland (Xhemaili 90+2)
Has Xhemaili saved Switzerland’s pores and skin in stoppage time?! Some neat play down the precise from the Swiss earns Reuteler some house on the sting of the realm. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder shoots however drags her low shot throughout objective, nevertheless it truly turns into an ideal cross-shot for Xhemaili on the again submit, and the substitute faucets in to ship the Geneva crowd wild! Wooooooooow!
90 min: Probability for Crnogorcevic! Switzerland go shut as soon as once more, however the veteran can’t fairly direct her header appropriately, and will get an excessive amount of on a near-post cross, nodding over the bar.
Seven minutes added on!
88 min: The substitution of Schertenleib now appears to be like all of the weirder, now that Switzerland want a objective. Nonetheless, they press ahead and win a free-kick in Finland’s half. Vallotto lumps it ahead, the unfastened ball drops inside Finland’s six-yard field, however Koivisto is first to it! The Finland proper again has maybe been the participant of the match tonight, successful all her duels and displaying charismatic vitality going ahead. Keep in mind, it was Koivisto who received the penalty.
86 min: These substitutes have each enlivened the Swiss and deepened the Finnish defensive position. It’s assault versus defence now. Kitchen-sink stuff. Can Finland maintain on?
84 min: Promising free-kick for Switzerland as Siren brings down Walti on the sting of Finland’s field. Substitute Xhemaili is over it, however the PSV participant blazes it over!
82 min: Extra adjustments from either side.
Finland convey off Kosola for Roth. Switzerland convey on Xhemaili and Lehmann. They merely have to attain.
80 min: The air has fully gone out of the stadium. Switzerland look surprised.
Finland 1-0 Switzerland (Kuikka 78 pen)
Peng dives proper and Kuikka holds her nerve, passing it into the alternative nook! Finland are in dreamland! They’re simply 12 minutes away from the knockout levels. Switzerland are simply 12 minutes from going out of their very own event!
Penalty to Finland!
This might be the decisive objective on this group! Concede right here and lose, and Switzerland exit, Finland via! It’s an unpleasant tangle of their field, with Calligaris bringing down Koivisto after good work from Franssi, however there’s little doubt that could be a penalty. As clear as they arrive!
74 min: Probability for Switzerland! Wandeler bursts down the precise, swings in a cross nevertheless it’s simply too excessive for Maritz on the again submit!
72 min: Finland make one other double change: Lehtola and Rantala on for Sallstrom and Summanen.
Switzerland additionally make a change: Pilgrim for the spectacular Schertenleib. Once more, one other shocking change! The Barcelona teenager has been top-of-the-line gamers on the pitch.
70 min: Finland get free down the precise with Franssi and the London Metropolis Lionesses ahead crosses early in direction of two of her teammates within the center, however the Swiss veteran Crnogorcevic makes an important clearance. Switzerland had been quickly outnumbered there!
69 min: When do Finland go for broke? Simply 20 minutes left for them to get a objective.
67 min: There have been a little bit of afters after that coming collectively between Wälti and Summanen, who pushed her north London rival within the again off the ball. Wälti will get some remedy however each gamers are OK to proceed.
65 min: Wälti picks Summanen pocket in midfield – Arsenal and Tottenham clashing – and instantly Switzerland have the ball and 4 on three! However Wandeler wastes the assault with a wayward shot when she had choices left and proper!
62 min: Vallotto shoots for Switzerland, however Koivunen will get down properly to her close to submit. Higher from the hosts.
59 min: A Finland objective would change all the things and after a little bit of pinball across the Swiss space, Koivisto breaks to the byline, solely to be edged out by the retreating Schertenleib. Hazard indicators for Swiss, who’re in peril of being a bit too defensive, right here.
56 min: Finland make a double change. Ahtinen and Franssi come on for Oling and Sevenius. Maybe a bit surprisingly to see Sevenius eliminated, she scored towards Norway and is one in every of Finland’s chief attacking threats.
54 min: Tense, nervy play from either side. Neither wish to make a decisive mistake. The onus is on Finland to get the objective and they don’t seem to be but throwing all the things ahead.
51 min: Finland have pressed brilliantly on this event and so almost nick the ball deep in Switzerland’s half – Oling almost coming away with it – however Reuteler pounces on the unfastened ball to tidy issues up for the Swiss. She all the time appears to be in the precise place.
49 min: Schertenleib has a scurry down down the left flank for Switzerland however Koivisto does exceptionally properly to maintain tempo with the Barcelona ahead earlier than executing an expertly-timed sort out.
47 min: “Finland enjoying higher than within the earlier two video games, however I assume the standard knowledge is that it’s higher for the competitors if the hosts progress, and preserve the crowds coming?” emails Charles Antaki. “The native followers appear an enthusiastic kind, in a clean-cut, affable type of method. Even their boos sound well mannered.”
Peeeeeeeeep!
Switzerland have made two adjustments. Riesen and Folmli are changed. On comes Crnogorcevic for her 172nd worldwide cap – no one has performed extra for Switzerland – whereas the younger Bayern ahead Wandeler can also be introduced on.
Half-time studying:
Half-time: Finland 0-0 Switzerland
Switzerland have had the overwhelming majority of the probabilities, nevertheless it’s Finland who’ve come the closest with that late Peng save!
45 min: One minute added on right here.
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