GENEVA :Switzerland’s Riola Xhemaili scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a dramatic 1-1 draw with Finland on Thursday that sent the joyous hosts through to the quarter-finals at Euro 2025, and sends heartbroken Finland home.
Switzerland, who needed only a draw to advance based on goal difference, finished second in Group A behind Norway to go through to the knockout round for the first time, and will face the winners of Group B, which would be world champions Spain as things stands now.
Finland looked to be heading for the knockout round after Natalia Kuikka scored a penalty in the 79th minute, awarded after Viola Calligaris fouled Emma Koivisto. Centre-back Kuikka marked her 101st cap by calmly slotting home a low shot as Swiss goalkeeper Livia Peng dived the wrong way.
But, roared on by the home crowd, the Swiss kept up the attack in the breathless dying moments and Xhemaili scored in the 92nd minute when Geraldine Reuteler mis-hit her shot on goal and Xhemaili was there to tap it in, blowing the roof off at Stade de Geneve.
“I really have to say that I didn’t think that we’re going home because I really believed in this team, until the last second, and I knew we were going to score,” Xhemaili said.
“I knew that Geraldine Reuteler, she will hit the target, of course, because she’s one of our best players, so I was like, just stay on the right spot in the right moment and wait until the ball is coming and it did.”
The desolate Finland players collapsed to the pitch in tears at the final whistle, while the Swiss lingered after the game’s end to pose for pictures and manager Pia Sundhage wrapped her assistants in huge hugs.
For most of the nervy night, the game was far from a classic, with desperation showing in both sides with the stakes sky high.
Switzerland started brightly and put Finnish goalkeeper Anna Koivunen to work early with a couple of chances. But momentum shifted midway through the half to quiet the nervous crowd and Peng made a huge save on the goal-line seconds before the break to preserve the draw after the ball bounced off Eva Nystrom’s shin in front of goal.
Intensity picked up over the second half of the back-and-forth affair, with the Swiss ending the night with 15 shots to Finland’s six.
“It is really disappointing that we didn’t take the win today,” Nystrom said. “We were aiming for the win. And yeah, I’m really proud of the team. But unfortunately, the last minutes were hard for us, and they scored.”
