The Women’s European Championship in Switzerland started on Wednesday with a victory for Finland over Iceland. The Finns won in Thun with 0-1 after a red card for Iceland.
Finland and Iceland seemed to be heading for a disappointing 0-0 draw after a disappointing first half, but a red card for Hildur Antonsdóttir changed the game. The Icelandic player received her second yellow card presumably for commentary. The direction had missed the card.
After that, Finland took the lead and in the seventieth minute it was a hit for the Finns. Katariina Kosola curled the ball skillfully from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner, beyond the reach of the Icelandic keeper.
For Finland, it is their first European Championship victory since 2009, when the Finns reached the quarter-finals of the European country tournament in their own country. At the European Championship of 2022 in Switzerland, Finland lost all group matches, just like Iceland.
Later in the day, the second European Championship match from group A is on the program. Host country Switzerland plays against two-time European champion Norway at 9:00 PM. The Swiss have never survived the group stage of a European Championship.