Stunning Drama Sees Hosts Switzerland Join Norway in Euro 2025 Quarter-finals

There were concerns that Switzerland could be blown away in a group they ultimately qualified for as the host nation rather than winning a qualifying play-off. But after group favourites Norway ran away with Group A, the hosts battled through, clinching their spot in the knockout stages in incredibly dramatic style.

Matchweek 1

Iceland 0 - 1 Finland

Kosola strike secures Finland's first Euros win since 2009

In a break from tradition, hosts Switzerland waited until the second game to get their tournament underway, with Finland taking on Iceland in the tournament opener.

Both sides had first half chances but ultimately were unable to break the deadlock. The dramatic turn in the match came just before the hour mark when Hildur Antonsdottir was shown a seocnd yellow card, just seven minutes after her first booking.

Katariina Kosola took advantage in the 70th minute, rifling a fine effort into the top corner. Although Iceland mounted the pressure in the closing stages, they couldn't come closer than a couple of half-chances for Sveindís Jónsdóttir.

Switzerland 1 - 2 Norway

Norway survive frantic game against hosts

Competing in their third ever European Championships (and third consecutive

one), Switzerland were looking to make it to the knockouts for the first time ever

in their own backyard.

The Swiss began the match on the front foot when their star forward Geraldine

Reuteler struck the crossbar on 23 minutes.

On 28 minutes, a messy clearance from Norway saw the ball fall to Nadine

Riesen the fullback who placed it off the post and in for a surprisingly special

Swiss moment.

However the second half saw the power of the Norway side start to be seen, on

54 minutes a corner was whipped in by Atletico Madrid midfielder, Vilde Boa

Rista, and who else but Ada Hegerberg headed home her 50th goal for Norway.

Almost straight away on 57 minutes, a long ball was played over the top to find

Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen who squared the ball that was

unfortunately turned into Switzerland’s net by defender Julia Sterli.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when their goalscorer Reuteler gave

away a penalty for a handball in the 68th minute.

However just as things seemed to continue to get worse and worse for

Switzerland, a glimmer of hope appeared when Hegerberg missed the chance to

make it 3-1 after putting the spot kick wide.

Less than a minute later, Switzerland went on the attack and were awarded a

penalty themselves, a crazy three minutes in this match, but the drama wasn’t done

with this decision yet. Initially it looked like a soft call for a penalty, but it was ultimately overturned by VAR for a marginal offside in the build-up.

Matchweek 2

Norway 2 - 1 Finland

Perfect record takes group favourites through

After victories for both sides on Matchday 1, a win for Norway or Finland would

put them in pole position to qualify for the quarter finals.

Unlike their first game, Norway came out the blocks flying when three minutes in

a long ball from Arsenal’s Frida Maanum came to Graham Hansen who drove

past the fullback and her pass across the face deflected off Finland’s Eva

Nystrom and into the net for 1-0.

Finland responded when Norway keeper Ceciline Fiskerstrand was forced into a

diving save to deny Eveliina Summanen.

23 minutes in and Norway should’ve been 2-0 up when Ingrid Engen crashed a

header off the underside of the bar. From the following corner, Guro Reiten would’ve scored an Olimpico had it not been for Anna Koivuven tipping it onto her post.

Finland’s equaliser on 32 minutes was the combination of the Oona’s as Oona

Siren played a pass through to Oona Sevenius who placed it into the top corner.

62 minutes in and Finland came close to 2-1 when Summanen had a shot tipped

onto the post by Fiskerstrand, the second time she had been denied in this game

by the Norway keeper.

Guro Reiten was denied what would’ve been a goal of the tournament contender

once again by Koivuven when the Chelsea winger made incredible contact with

an overhead kick which was heading in if not for the reflexes of the Finnish shot

stopper coming on show once more in this match.

In the 84th minute, just a couple after she missed a golden chance to give

Norway the lead, Graham Hansen as she took on four Finland defenders herself

before what seemed like a cross to Ada Hegerberg bounced off the post and in to

give the Norwegians a 2-1 lead and pretty much secure their spot in the round of 16.

Switzerland 2 - 0 Iceland

Hosts keep knockout chances alive with late goals

Both sides needed a win to keep their qualification chances alive, especially after

Finland had lost to Norway.

Iceland began the brightest when a long throw saw Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir hit a shot off the crossbar within the first 50 seconds of the match. Shortly after, Switzerland has a goal from a well worked routine disallowed after Svenja Folmill’s header was turned into the net via a deflection, but a foul was spotted in the build-up by VAR. 

A free kick in the 46th minute from Vilhjalmsdottir skimmed just over the crossbar,

another Iceland goal denied by the woodwork.

Switzerland opened the scoring in the 76th minute sending the home fans into

bedlam, Reuteler got her second goal of the tournament by finishing into the

bottom left corner.

Alayah Pilgrim sealed the deal in the 90 minute firing a shot from out the box into

the corner via a huge deflection. 2-0 to Switzerland and genuine hope of a first ever Euro knockout appearance was in sight.

The second goal was especially crucial as it put the hosts above Finland on goal difference heading into what was essentially a play-off in the last game. This meant that a draw would be enough for Switzerland to progress, while Finland would have to beat the hosts to remain in the tournament.

Matchweek 3

Norway 4 - 3 Iceland

Dead-rubber game proves thrilling

This was one of those unfortunate situations where no result could change what happened. Because Euros groups are settled on head-to-head record before goal difference, Norway were already guaranteed to top the group while Iceland knew they would finish last. And yet, this was the game of the tournament so far.

Surprisingly, Iceland took the lead when a header from a corner was parried

straight to the path of Sveindis Jonsdottir who had a simple tap in.

Norway’s leveller also came from a corner when Vilde Boa Risa’s delivery was

superbly met on the volley by 20-year-old Signe Gaupset.

It was the day for stunning goals from Gaupset as a lazy clearance from Iceland

saw a turnover which was picked up and fired from range into the bottom corner

for Gaupset’s first ever brace at international level and her first since a 3-0 win

away at Valerenga while playing for her club Braan in April 2025.

At the start of the second half, a lovely passing move from Norway was brilliantly

finished off by Frida Maanum for her first goal of the tournament, having been

Norway’s top scorer in qualifying.

The 75th minute saw Maanum get her brace, smashing a shot past the Iceland

keeper, and it was looking like Norway had built some big momentum ahead of

the knockouts, leading 4-1.

Iceland made it 4-2 when a brilliant solo run from Jonsdottir saw her square the

ball to Hlin Eiriksdottir who could not miss with the whole goal to aim at.

Deep into added time, Iceland were awarded a penalty and though it wouldn’t

affect the match, Mairt Lund was sent off for Norway meaning one of their most

important players will be out of the quarter finals.

Glodis Viggosdottir slotted into the top corner to make the final score of 4-3 to

Norway who will be disappointed to have showed some defensive frailties while

tired late on. For Iceland it was an experience they will learn from and hope to improve on.

Finland 1 - 1 Switzerland

Last-gasp strike sends Switzerland through to first Euros knockout stage

Both sides had a chance to progress if they could get a result, Finland needed a

win to qualify while hosts Switzerland would be through with a point.

The best chance of the opening exchanges came for the Swiss when Sydney

Schartenleib had a shot parried away by Anna Koivunen.

Right at the end of the first half, Eva Nystrom came close to breaking the

deadlock but Swiss keeper Livia Peng somehow got across to stop it.

The first big moment came in the 76th minute when Viola Callaigaris clumsily fouled

Emma Koivisto, giving Finland a penalty.

The spot kick was converted by Natalia Kuikka and Finland were 20 minutes or

so away from the Euro knockout stages.

However, these crunch games don’t come without drama and in the 92nd-minute

of the game, Reuteler fizzed the ball across goal leaving Riola Xhemalli with a

tap-in which sent the home support mental. 

They had made it to the quarter finals of UEFA Euro 2025 in the most dramatic fashion possible, likely setting up an encounter with 2023 World Cup last 16 opponents Spain in the quarter-finals.

Knockout Path

In all likelihood, Switzerland will play Spain in the last 16. The World Champions only need a point in their final Group B match, and given that they've scored 11 goals across their first two games securing a point against Italy shouldn't be too difficult.

Norway have less certainty in their opponents heading into the Group B finale; Italy sit second in Group B for now, but if they were to lose to Spain and Portugal were to beat Belgium heavily, the goal difference could swing enough to send Portugal through to face the Norwegians.