Géraldine Reuteler is showing Switzerland the way to the European Championship quarter-finals – at the age of 7, she preferred football to ballet

The Swiss women's national team toiled for 75 minutes against Iceland on Sunday evening. The team achieved little, lacked inspiration, and appeared increasingly worn down. One moment was enough to change everything: Captain Lia Wälti won the ball. A quick attack, for once. A pass from Sydney Schertenleib to Géraldine Reuteler. A low shot into the goal, into the void.

Reuteler, 26, plays for Eintracht Frankfurt and is one of the Bundesliga's top scorers, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in 20 matches last season. On Wednesday, Reuteler was an asset in the bitter 2-1 defeat to Norway in their opening European Championship match. Against Iceland , coach Pia Sundhage assigned her a much more defensive role, one that more befitted her number 6 jersey. The longer the Swiss struggled against the Icelandic defense, the more one wondered whether Sundhage was really doing herself a favor with this move.

But the former world champion coach was right – this one action was enough for Reuteler to make the difference. This Central Swiss native, whose mother sent her to ballet at the age of seven, announced at home after two lessons that she would never go back. She wanted to play soccer, like her older brothers.

She left home early to pursue her dream of becoming a professional footballer – the association supported her at the national training center, where she sometimes cried herself to sleep with homesickness. But she persevered. And now she's the one who has opened the door to the European Championship quarterfinals for the Swiss women at their home tournament. "We worked hard for this victory and deserved it," said an ebullient Reuteler after the match.

Sundhage had said before the match: "We want to make Switzerland proud and make history." That sounded pathos, as well as the team's intention to start the match with a lot of vigor, like they did in Wednesday's opening match. But the Swiss seemed hesitant, achieving little against an opponent who played conspicuously destructively. They focused on closing down space, trying to disrupt the flow of the technically superior Swiss with fouls.

The crowd in the sold-out Wankdorf Stadium waited in vain for a long time for something resembling an initial spark. The fans seemed more reserved than on Wednesday, when the team had let themselves be carried by the fans and the energy in the stands had spilled over onto the pitch. It seemed as if everyone was waiting for something to happen.

But the spectators were treated to a very uneventful first half. After the Icelanders' shot hit the crossbar in the opening minute, nothing happened for a long time. What appeared to be Switzerland's opening goal in the 29th minute – an own goal following a corner – was disallowed after an intervention by the video referee. The goal was preceded by a foul by the physically strong, present, but unlucky striker Svenja Fölmli. The only other exciting moment was a volley into the side netting from 25 meters by local hero Iman Beney. Had this shot been accurate, it would have been played over and over again in the highlight clips at the end of the year.

Instead, Reuteler and, shortly before the end, substitute Alayah Pilgrim scored. It was a deserved 2-0 win, as Iceland were virtually nonexistent offensively, apart from two shots that hit the crossbar. The only exceptions were throw-ins from attacking star Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir.

Jonsdottir, who was hired in the USA by Angel City FC, a club controlled by actress Natalie Portman, former tennis star Serena Williams, and other prominent investors, likely could have also had a career in discus throwing. Before every throw-in, she dried the ball with a terry towel in the Bernese rain. Then she threw it up to 30 meters into the penalty area, which at least created some semblance of a goal-scoring opportunity. Overall, that was far too little – the tournament is already over for the world number 14 before Thursday's final group match.

Meanwhile, the Swiss will face Finland in Geneva for a place in the knockout phase. Because the Finns lost 2-1 to Norway, a draw is enough for Switzerland to advance to the group stage for the first time in history. Sundhage could well be right in her hopes that this team will make history.