Spain Overcomes Spirited Switzerland to Advance to Euro 2025 Semifinals
Spain showcased their resilience and quality on Friday, defeating a determined Switzerland team 2-0 to secure a place in the semifinals of the Women’s Euro 2025. The world champions continued their quest for their first-ever European crown with a hard-fought victory at the Wankdorf Stadium.
The match saw goals from Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina in the second half, allowing La Roja to advance to the last four, where they will face either France or Germany on Wednesday. Spain is eager to reclaim the European title, having previously seen their dominance in the women’s game.
The Swiss, buoyed by a passionate home crowd of nearly 30,000, put up a valiant effort throughout the match. They survived an early scare when Spain’s Mariona Caldentey missed a penalty in the ninth minute, shooting wide after being brought down in the box by Nadine Riesen. From that moment, Switzerland tightened their defense, effectively stifling Spain’s typically fluid style of play.
Under the guidance of coach Pia Sundhage, Switzerland performed admirably in their home tournament, earning a loud round of applause from their supporters despite finishing the match with ten players after Noelle Maritz received a red card in the final minute. This marked a historic moment for Switzerland, as they had never advanced past the group stage in previous European competitions.
Spain, while initially frustrated by the Swiss defense, maintained their composure and continued to press for a breakthrough. They had several near misses, with Irene Paredes hitting the post just before halftime and Patri Guijarro doing the same shortly after the break. Despite their struggles, the Spanish side remained undeterred.
The turning point came in the 66th minute when del Castillo, who had just come on as a substitute, latched onto a through ball from Aitana Bonmati and calmly rolled the ball into the net, finally breaking the deadlock. Just five minutes later, Pina added a second goal with a spectacular strike, solidifying Spain’s control of the match.
Although Livia Peng, Switzerland’s goalkeeper, saved Alexia Putellas’ weak penalty in the closing minutes, it was too late for the hosts, who had fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against a superior Spanish side.
