European Football Championship: Switzerland scores in injury time and reaches the quarter-finals for the first time

After a football thriller, Switzerland has reached the quarterfinals of a European Championship for the first time. Riola Xhemaili (90th+2') scored the decisive 1-1 (0-0) draw against Finland in stoppage time, which was enough for coach Pia Sundhage's team to advance to the knockout rounds. A defeat would have eliminated the hosts. Alongside the Swiss, who will now most likely face world champions Spain, Norway advances to the last eight as Group A winners after a 4-3 (2-1) win against Iceland in the parallel match.

26,388 spectators saw a hard-fought match in Geneva. One scene initially caused a hangover in the Alpine republic and among many fans in front of the television screens: In the 79th minute, Finland's Natalia Kuikka confidently converted a penalty, leaving former Bremen goalkeeper Livia Peng powerless. This had been preceded by a foul by Viola Calligaris on Emma Koivisto. In the closing stages, striker Alisha Lehmann, who rose to fame as an Instagram star, made her first European Championship appearance. The woman of the evening, however, was Xhemaili: the 22-year-old scored the equaliser in stoppage time, sparking jubilation in the host nation. "I still can't quite grasp how exactly it happened. My heart rate must have been at 200," said an overjoyed Xhemaili. She had pushed the ball over the line after an assist from Frankfurt's Géraldine Reuteler. "It's historic for Switzerland, so sometimes you have to savor the moments." The Swiss women started the match with a lot of pressure, but their ability to capitalize on opportunities was lacking. Among them was super-talented Sydney Schertenleib, who missed a long-range shot to give the committed but hapless "Nati" the lead. After the break, the pressure was noticeable on the hosts. They were more cautious in attack, less secure in defense. And when Calligaris's opponent Koivisto clumsily fouled in the penalty area, Finland suddenly celebrated. But in the end, it was Switzerland who won.