2 weeks ago
11
Sam MarsdenJul 18, 2025, 07:19 PM ET
BERN, Switzerland -- Switzerland manager Pia Sundhage hopes the team's tally to the quarterfinal of their location European Championship volition beryllium to beryllium a take-off infinitesimal for women's shot successful the state contempt Friday's 2-0 loss to Spain.
Second-half goals from Athenea del Castillo and Clàudia Pina booked Spain's spot successful Wednesday's semifinal against either Germany oregon France, but the tourney has inactive exceeded each expectations for the hosts.
Switzerland person been fixed fantastic enactment successful each 4 of their matches connected their tally to the knockout stages, with a sellout assemblage of astir 30,000 staying good beyond the last whistle astatine the Wankdorf Stadium connected Friday to congratulate them for their performances.
- Marsden: Spain inactive person enactment to bash contempt beating Swiss
- Laurens: France retired for revenge and interruption quarterfinal curse
- Women's Euro 2025: Bracket, results and fixtures schedule
"I americium disappointed that I person to spell backmost home," Sundhage said successful a quality conference. "The ambiance successful the locker country and the archetypal fractional tells maine this is simply a bully team.
"But Spain are satellite champions. We tried. That is the astir important thing. I americium besides precise arrogant of Switzerland. If you look astatine the radical coming to the games, it's been phenomenal.
"It's been a erstwhile successful a beingness feeling, precise emotional. And they didn't leave! They stayed. That shows maine determination are radical successful Switzerland that deliberation that women's shot is important and I americium precise grateful for that."
Former UWMNT, Sweden and Brazil manager Sundhage says she believes the tourney volition permission a lasting bequest successful Switzerland
"It's precise important [to proceed this] going forward," the Swedish manager added. "This is, I feel, a take-off. After hosting connected location ungraded and truthful on, this is simply a chance.
"We mislaid the game, but I deliberation astatine immoderate constituent we are winning a affirmative cognition for women's football. Some players are sad, immoderate disappointed, but if you springiness america time, I deliberation each of america volition beryllium arrogant of however we continued the journey.
"Now it's the adjacent step. That volition beryllium important. Before this Euros, I was reasoning determination would beryllium large crowds, but the instrumentality zones, the radical supporting the nationalist team, has been phenomenal. I was dreaming astir this, but this is much than I dreamt of."
Switzerland, ranked 23rd successful the world, were fixed small accidental earlier the crippled against Spain.
The evening got disconnected to the worst imaginable commencement erstwhile the satellite champions were awarded an aboriginal penalty, but Mariona Caldentey missed and the Swiss managed to get to half-time with the crippled goalless.
Substitute Del Castillo yet broke the deadlock successful the 66th infinitesimal aft Spain had deed the woodwork 3 times, with Pina adding the 2nd 5 minutes later.
There was inactive clip for Spain to miss a 2nd penalty, this clip done Alexia Putellas, and for Noelle Maritz to beryllium sent disconnected for the hosts, with Sundhage admitting her broadside would person needed adjacent much luck to propulsion disconnected an upset.
"Oh yeah, we had a small spot of luck," she smiled. "If you look astatine the punishment kicks and truthful on. We would person needed adjacent much luck. It was tough, but the squad did precise good if you look astatine the archetypal half. We astir made it."
