Hegerberg leads Norway to opening 2-1 win over host nation Switzerland at Euro 2025

NEW DELHI: Norway star Ada Hegerberg led her team to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over host nation Switzerland despite missing a penalty in its 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 capitalised 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 Bøe 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 Géraldine 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.

Earlier, Katariina Kosola’s goal gave Finland a 1-0 win over 10-woman Iceland in the opening match, giving the Finns the perfect start in Group A, which also contains hosts Switzerland and Norway.

Finland lost all three games at the last tournament, scoring one goal, but after Iceland’s Hildur Antonsdottir’s red card in the 58th minute, Kosola made the breakthrough 12 minutes later. Agencies

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