07/02/25 04:33:00
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07/02 16:32 CDT Hegerberg leads Norway to opening 2-1 win over host nation
Switzerland at Euro 2025
Hegerberg leads Norway to opening 2-1 win over host nation Switzerland at Euro
2025
By CIARAN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) --- Norway star Ada Hegerberg led her team to a 2-1
come-from-behind victory over host nation Switzerland despite missing a penalty
in their opening game at the Women's European Championship on Wednesday.
The home team dominated the first half and went ahead in the 28th minute when
Nadine Riesen capitalized on some pinball-machine Norwegian defending to score
in off the left post.
Hegerberg equalized against the run of play with a header to Vilde Boe Risa's
corner in the 54th, four minutes before Switzerland's Julia Stierli scored an
own goal trying to stop Caroline Graham Hansen's cross for Hegerberg.
But Hegerberg -- the all-time Women's Champions League top-scorer -- sent her
penalty to the left of the post in the 70th after Graldine Reuteler was
penalized for hand ball while trying to defend against the Lyon star.
Reuteler had sent the ball crashing off the crossbar for the dominant Swiss in
the first half.
Switzerland was awarded a penalty after Hegerberg's miss only to have the
decision overturned after a VAR review for an offside call.
The Swiss players looked crestfallen after the game, as did veteran coach Pia
Sundhage who had called this job her " biggest challenge " before the
tournament. Switzerland was looking for just its second win in seven matches at
a European Championship.
Many fans stayed in their seats to applaud the team afterward. The match was
played at St. Jakob-Park, across the road from where Austrian singer JJ won the
Eurovision Song Contest in May. It's Switzerland's biggest stadium with a
capacity of 34,250 for the tournament and it will also host the final, among
other games.
This game --- the second of the tournament after Finland's 1-0 win over Iceland
--- was preceded by the Euro 2025 opening ceremony. Dancers used long silver
tubes in a carefully choreographed performance that paid tribute to
Switzerland's clock-making heritage and Alpine landscape.
UEFA said the modest ceremony celebrated "the pinnacle of European team spirit"
while emphasizing "diversity, unity and the triumph of women's football on its
greatest stage."
Both captains wore rainbow armbands to underline the message.
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