Norway Faces Adversity but Rallies to Overcome Switzerland in EURO 2025 Clash

In an exhilarating opener for the UEFA European Women’s Championship at St Jakob-Park, Norway turned around a deficit to defeat Switzerland 2-1 with two goals in just four minutes during the second half.

Often regarded as a powerhouse in women’s football yet infamous for their inconsistent performances in major tournaments, Norway had not progressed past the group stages in the previous two Euros. From the outset of this match, they seemed to struggle to find their rhythm on such a prominent stage.

The Swiss side, hosting the tournament this year, created numerous scoring chances, while Norway’s attacking trio made up of Caroline Graham Hansen, Guro Reiten, and Ada Hegerberg found it challenging to generate significant threats on goal.

Switzerland started brightly, with their first significant attempt coming shortly after the 15-minute mark when Lia Wälti tested Cecilie Fiskerstrand with a powerful long-range effort.

Wälti’s attempt was quickly followed by another warning for Norway, as Géraldine Reuteler’s thunderous shot rattled the crossbar.

The opening goal arrived in the 28th minute when Nadine Riesen struck a delightful effort from inside the box that hit the post before finding the net.

It would be unwise to underestimate the two-time European champions, especially with their talented squad. Norway exhibited their strength in an astounding four-minute span that shifted the momentum of the match.

Hegerberg managed to connect with a clever corner from Vilde Bøe Risa and headed the equaliser past goalkeeper Livia Peng. Shortly after, Julia Stierli unfortunately flicked Hansen’s dangerous cross into her own net.

The former Ballon d’Or Féminin winner, Hegerberg, had a prime chance to secure the win in the 63rd minute; however, Peng was quick off her line to thwart her one-on-one attempt.

In an unexpected turn of events, Hegerberg missed yet another chance in the 70th minute by sending her penalty kick wide, much to the relief of the Swiss crowd after Reuteler’s handball in the area.

However, the drama escalated when a VAR review lead referee Ionela Peşu to rescind her initial penalty award, revealing that Riesen had been offside in the build-up.

Devastatingly for Switzerland, Reuteler blasted her final effort into the stands in the 84th minute, leaving Norway to breathe a sigh of relief as the match concluded, despite underperforming during the match in Basel.

This second-half turnaround for Norway should calm any pre-match jitters ahead of their fixture against Finland on Sunday, where a victory would secure their spot in the knockout stages.

Meanwhile, Switzerland will meet Iceland on the same day, with the weight of a defeat potentially ending their tournament hopes.

Check out a summary of the match here.