Switzerland 0 Spain 2
July 18 – Host nation Switzerland exited Euro 2025 after a 2-0 defeat to world champions Spain in the quarter-finals.
For 66 minutes, the hosts fought tooth and nail to keep their tournament dream alive – their collective defending, last-ditch tackles, self-belief, high work rate and the help of the football gods kept Spain, the tournament favourites, at bay before substitute Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina, with a 71st-minute goal, restored order. Either side of the half, Spain failed to convert a penalty.
It was the match the entire host nation had build up to – the quarterfinal against world champions Spain, which represented the ultimate spotlight for the Swiss women’s game. The Nati had squeezed through the group stages with a dramatic draw against Finland, but here they were in Bern, a city of miracles, backed by a sea of red in their first-ever knockout match at a European championship.
In the stands, a banner read: time to move mountains. It was for the alpine country. They were up against a superlative side that has swept past opponents with uncanny ease.
Holding their own, the Swiss just about avoided conceding early. In the eighth minute, Mariona Caldentey missed an early penalty – as if the tournament needed more spot-kick drama. The Arsenal player executed her penalty poorly and hit wide. With a flying save, Swiss goalkeeper Livia Peng then kept out a free kick from Claudia Pina. The number twenty fired a low shot across goal just before the half-hour mark.
Switzerland’s pressing stymied Spain from getting into their flow, but how long could Pia Sundhage’s team keep that intensity up? The Spanish constantly recycled the ball, pinning the hosts back. Just before the break, the Swiss enjoyed another let off when Irene Paredes, left unmarked at the far post from a looping Pina corner, headed against the woodwork.
But at half-time it was all square following a defensive masterclass from the hosts, whose fans were thrilled. They watched more second-half resilience from their side, who got more time on the ball which offered much-needed relief from Spain’s attacks. Esther Gonzalez’s looping header went just wide and in an incredible pinball moment, Patricia Guijarro smacked the woodwork before it scrambled around and hit the other post.
The match was on a knife edge. Swiss belief was growing while Spain kept plugging away. At some point the world champions were going to find a way trough, right? And they did in the 66th minute when Aitana Bonmati found Del Castillo whose lovely tap had Peng well beaten. The Swiss had switched off for a minute and paid dearly for it.
Five minutes later, Lia Walti, Switzerland’s poster girl, blacked out, simply handing Spain possession when she protested about what she deemed to be a foul. The Spanish punished her and Pina delivered a picture-perfect finish into the top-right corner. Walti and a member of Switzerland’s back-room staff were booked for protesting as boos ringed around the Wankdorf Stadium.
Switzerland had little left in the tank and failed to ever really threaten the Spanish goalkeeper. They had at least one last, small hurray when Peng saved a penalty from Alexia Putellas. In injury time, Noelle Maritz was shown the red card for bringing down Salma Paralluelo as the last defender.
At the final whistle some Swiss players were in tears, but they could be proud. Switzerland had shown every other team a blueprint of how to take on the world champions. They could reflect on a fine run that caught the imagination of the host nation and will leave a legacy for the domestic women’s game.
Spain march on and reach their first semi-final at a European championship since 1997.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1752929219labto1752929219ofdlr1752929219owedi1752929219sni@i1752929219tnuk.1752929219ardni1752929219mas1752929219
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