Finland 1-1 Switzerland highlights: Late goal sends hosts into Women's EURO 2025 quarter-finals

Hosts Switzerland are through to the UEFA Women's EURO quarter-finals for the first time after Riola Xhemaili's 92nd-minute strike broke Finland hearts in Geneva.

What happened?

Switzerland needed a point to secure a last-eight spot ahead of their opponents and, cheered on by an expectant home crowd, they began with purpose. There were near misses, crosses that demanded converting, and a deflected Sydney Schertenleib effort that forced Finland goalkeeper Anna Koivunen to scramble.

Finland held on, though, and so long as it was level danger lurked for the hosts. Right on half-time that threat was underlined as Eveliina Summanen swung in an inviting cross from the left, Eva Nyström reached it first and her effort was sneaking in before the alert Livia Peng dropped on it.

Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage moved decisively. On came Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and Leila Wandeler, a pair whose introduction changed the game against Iceland four days earlier. Here it earned greater control, but that nerve-settling goal just would not come for the dominant hosts; and with 11 minutes left, disaster.

Livia Peng saves Eva Nyström's first-half effortGetty Images

A jinking run from the elusive Emma Koivisto was ended by Viola Calligaris, earning Finland a penalty. With so much on the line, Natalia Kuikka stepped up and calmly sent Peng the wrong way. For the first time all evening the sound of cow bells and chants of 'Hopp Suisse' fell silent.

Only for a moment though, and the noise levels grew until they reached a crescendo when Géraldine Reuteler fired a ball into the box and 81st-minute replacement Xhemaili stabbed in. Switzerland are through to the last eight.

Player of the Match: Géraldine Reuteler (Switzerland)

"Once again she ranked high across the board in terms of stats and it was her ball into the box that created the crucial equaliser."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Reaction

Pia Sundhage, Switzerland coach: "It's unreal, unbelievable. This is football, actually. When we scored the equaliser and the final whistle, those are things I will always remember. It was fantastic! This team – this country – deserves this history. Hopefully, we have another good game in the quarter-finals. We're going to do our very best and make Switzerland proud."

Riola Xhemaili, Switzerland goalscorer: "It's unbelievable. It's like a dream come true and I can't describe how nice this feeling is. I mean, as a small child I was always dreaming of scoring the goal, scoring goals in important games. I did it today, so these are the nicest emotions I ever had in my life."

Géraldine Reuteler, Switzerland's Player of Match: "It just feels indescribable. I have goosebumps all over – I'm so overwhelmed by everything. The fans really carried us, from the start to the end. It was so much fun to play football here. I'm just so relieved."

Marko Saloranta, Finland coach: "I had to breathe for a while at full time. I'm proud of how committed my players have been, how crazy they've been. Nobody believed in us outside the camp but we knew we could compete. We ended a 16-year wait for a finals win against Iceland, played well against Norway and then came so close to getting the result here to progress. We're hurting."

Natalia Kuikka, Finland defender: "We were unable to play the game we usually play. Switzerland definitely made it difficult for us and, at the end, they were able to equalise. It's bittersweet and it hurts."

Key stats

• Switzerland are through to the knockout phase for the first time; they exited in the group stage in 2017 and 2022.
• Géraldine Reuteler has been Player of the Match for all three Switzerland games.
• Switzerland are five games unbeaten against Finland (W2 D3).
• Switzerland have scored in their last eight Women's EURO games.
• Noelle Maritz, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and Lia Wälti are ever-present for Switzerland at Women's EURO (nine matches in 2017, 2022 and 2025).

The full-time statistics

Reporters' views

Mikael Erävuori, Finland reporter
Kuikka's late penalty looked to have sent Finland through, but that added-time equaliser means her side are out in cruel fashion. A valiant effort by Helmarit, whose campaign comes to an end.

Judith Tuffentsammer, Switzerland reporter
For a brief second-half spell, it seemed Switzerland’s dreams of writing history by making a first ever quarter-final at their home tournament would shatter. But Xhemaili’s late goal changed the script and Nati rounded off a special night in dramatic fashion!

Fantasy star performers

Géraldine Reuteler (Switzerland) – 10 points
Natalia Kuikka (Finland) – 9
Emma Koivisto (Finland) – 7

Line-ups

Switzerland's starting XI, unchanged from Matchday 2UEFA via Getty Images

Finland: Koivunen; Tynnilä, Kuikka, Nyström, E. Koivisto; Summanen (Lehtola 72), O. Siren, Sevenius (Franssi 57); Öling (Ahtinen 57), Kosola (Roth 82); Sällström (Rantala 72)

Switzerland: Peng; Beney (Lehmann 82), Calligaris, Stierli (Xhemaili 82), Maritz, Riesen (Crnogorčević 46); Reuteler, Wälti, Vallotto; Schertenleib (Pilgrim 71), Fölmli (Wandeler 46)