85 days before the opening match at the home European Championship, the Swiss women's national team showed signs of life. Nevertheless, it was only enough for a 3-3 draw in the Nations League in Iceland.
08.04.2025, 20:50
08.04.2025, 20:54
SDA
The team of national coach Pia Sundhage had only scored one goal in the last five games. In Reykjavik, the Swiss women scored three times. And yet it was not enough for their first victory since the end of October.
The Swiss were hardly recognizable in the first half compared to the game against France. They ran the ball, switched quickly when they won the ball and showed great enthusiasm. In other words, everything they had lacked four days earlier in St. Gallen and also in the goalless opener against the Icelanders in Zurich.
It took just 71 seconds for the ball to find the net for the first time. Géraldine Reuteler, a newcomer to the starting eleven, kept her composure in front of goal after a deep pass and calmly slotted home to make it 1-0. It was the 13th goal in her 75th international match for the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old from Nidwalden is unlikely to forget her anniversary game in a hurry. She had missed the first two games in the Nations League due to muscular complaints, but now she was the lynchpin after a partial appearance against France in the far north. With her skillful running, she opened up gaps or got herself into position. After 17 minutes, she set up the 2:0 through Smilla Vallotto in exemplary fashion.
Then came the scenes that meant she will not have fond memories of the game, despite her good performance. In stoppage time of the first half, she conceded a free kick for which she was yellow-carded and as a result, the previously invisible Icelanders found their way back into the game. With 20 minutes remaining, Reuteler was shown a second yellow card for a foul in the opposition penalty area and sent off.
At this point, the Icelanders had equalized the match after conceding an own goal immediately after the break. Lea Vilhjalmsdottir was responsible for all three of the hosts' goals. Goalkeeper Elvira Herzog did not cut a good figure for the first goal conceded, while debutant Laia Ballesté was at the origin of the other goals.
The missed victory means the Swiss remain bottom of the table, one point behind Iceland. A place in League A of the Nations League is still possible, but points are needed against Norway and in France.
Telegram:
Iceland - Switzerland 3:3 (1:2)
Reykjavik. - SR Klarlund (DEN). - Goals: 2. Reuteler (Maritz) 0:1. 17. Vallotto (Reuteler) 0:2. 45. Vilhjalmsdottir 1:2. 46. Gunnlaugsdottir (own goal) 1:3. 50. Vilhjalmsdottir 2:3. 62. Vilhjalmsdottir 3:3.
Iceland: Runarsdottir; Gudny Arnardottir, Gudrun Arnadottir, Sigurdardottir, Heidarsdottir (36. Gunnlaugsdottir); Augustsdottir (36. Brynjarsdottir), Vilhjalmsdottir (86. Antonsdottir), Johannsdottir; Asgeirsdottir (60. Halldorsdottir), Jonsdottir, Eiriksdottir (60. Jessen).
Switzerland: Herzog; Ballesté (72. Calligaris), Bühler, Maritz; Beney (46. Terchoun), Reuteler, Wälti, Vallotto (79. Bachmann), Crnogorcevic; Schertenleib, Fölmli (60. Piubel).
Remarks: 69th yellow-red card for Reuteler. Cautions: 45th Reuteler. 90th Brynjarsdottir. 91st Halldorsdottir. 92nd Calligaris. 93rd Bachmann.
