Euro 2025: Switzerland gets late goal to draw with Finland and advance to quarterfinals

GENEVA (AP) — A stoppage-time goal for Switzerland in a frenetic atmosphere will keep the host-nation buzz going for at least one more week into the quarterfinals at the Women’s European Championship.

Switzerland's frantic wave of late attacks set up substitute Riola Xhemaili to level the score 1-1 against Finland in the second minute of added time in a tense end to Group A.

Switzerland only needed a draw to advance ahead of Finland on goal difference but fell behind against the run of play to a 79th-minute penalty by Natalia Kuikka.

“We showed the whole world what Swiss people can do,” said Xhemaili, who was in the ideal spot in the goalmouth to divert a low shot by Géraldine Reuteler that was going wide.

Switzerland will now play its first knockout game at a Women’s Euros against the winner of Group B.

That is likely to be world champion Spain, the standout team at Euro 2025 which has scored 11 goals in two games so far.

Switzerland will get a full week of rest, though, to celebrate its achievement before worrying about the next challenge on July 18 in Bern.

The Swiss and Finns were playing for the runner-up spot in Group A as Norway had already secured top spot after two rounds. Norway rested key starters Thursday in a 4-3 win against Iceland, which had already been eliminated.

Key for Switzerland to advance had been beating Iceland 2-0 after Finland managed only a one-goal win against the same opponent. The second goal against Iceland, in the 90th minute on Sunday, also sparked a fresh passion across the country for this Swiss team.

“The reason we are in the quarterfinal is because we are the home team,” Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage said, praising the fans. “I’m so, so proud of Switzerland and what the players have done so far.

"We are not finished yet.”

Sundhage did not play safely for a draw Thursday. Far from it. She sent on more attackers for the second half, including a forward line of three teenagers.

The 19-year-old Leila Wandeler and 18-year-olds Sydney Schertenleib and Iman Beney stretched the Finland defense and energized the sold-out Stade de Genève.

Switzerland’s all-time record goalscorer Ana-Maria Crnogorčević went on as right wing-back and made a key block in the center of defense.

The strategy was working and Switzerland dominated the second half until conceding a foolish penalty. When Emma Koivisto was tripped by Viola Calligaris it completed a clumsy passage of play in the Swiss penalty area.

It was all vindication for Sundhage, the 65-year-old coach who led the United States to two Olympic titles and the 2011 World Cup final, and led Brazil to a South American championship.

Yet the storied veteran had seemed to be losing a bit of the Swiss public’s faith in her plans for a young team after a winless six-game Nations League campaign this year.

When the equalizing goal went in, Sundhage stood calmly next to the touchline as her players and staff leaped off the bench and onto the field.

When the final whistle blew, she slowly turned to face the fans in the main stand, smiled and held her arms out wide, as if asking: “Well, how about that?”

“These kinds of moments are very encouraging,” Sundhage said later, even making her think she can “go on forever and ever.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Finland 's Eveliina Summanen, on the ground, tries to tackle Switzerland's Nadine Riesen during the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Switzerland head coach Pia Sundhage smiles at the end of the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Switzerland players celebrate at the end of the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Switzerland head coach Pia Sundhage stands by the bench before the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Finland head coach Marko Saloranta gestures next to fourth official Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi during the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Finland 's Eveliina Summanen, on the ground, tries to tackle Switzerland's Nadine Riesen during the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Finland's Natalia Kuikka raises a fist after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Finland 's Natalia Kuikka scores the opening goal from the penalty spot during the Euro 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Switzerland's Riola Xhemaili, center, celebrates after scoring her side's goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025, group A, soccer match between Finland and Switzerland in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

PHOENIX (AP) — UConn's Geno Auriemma was not a happy man.

With the officiating. With his team's performance. With South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

The Huskies coach ripped into the officiating during a live TV interview and then had a heated argument with Staley in the final seconds of their 62-48 loss to the Gamecocks. But a rough night for UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd was the main cause of the Huskies' poor showing in the national semifinals of the women's Final Four on Friday night.

A minute after his sideline blowup, Auriemma stalked off the floor alone, stewing over the nightmare performance.

Fudd — a senior — shouldered the blame, saying she felt she let the team down.

“I thought some of our shots were a little rushed, some of our offense was a little rushed, out of pace,” Fudd said. “But when we got a lot of good looks, a lot of shots in our offense, shots that we are used to taking, we just didn’t hit very many.”

The Huskies hadn't faced much on-court adversity this season, winning almost all of their previous 38 games by a lopsided margin. Once it hit on Friday, UConn wasn't able to respond.

Auriemma said the officiating didn't help.

“There were six fouls called that quarter — all of them against us," Auriemma said on the broadcast at the end of the third quarter. "And they’ve been beating the (expletive) out of our guys down there the entire game. I’m not making excuses, ’cause we haven’t been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous.

“Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don’t want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t see it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a national championship.”

Auriemma wasn't finished showing his displeasure. The 72-year-old coach walked toward Staley in the final seconds of the game before the two had an angry exchange, with assistants having to get in between them. Auriemma blamed the dustup on Staley not following the proper protocol for a pregame handshake.

Once the game finally ended, Auriemma slowly walked off the court and down the tunnel without a postgame handshake with the Gamecocks. The teams did shake hands.

UConn has relied all season on Strong and Fudd, a pair of All-America selections who were steady throughout the season. Against South Carolina, Strong finished with just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Fudd scored eight on 3-of-15 shooting, including 2 of 9 from long range.

The Huskies' lone offensive bright spot came midway through the third quarter. Kayleigh Heckel, Blanca Quiñonez and Fudd each hit a 3-pointer in a 90-second span to cut the deficit to 40-39, but UConn was never able to take the lead. South Carolina took a 44-39 advantage into the fourth quarter and slowly pulled away.

UConn scored just nine points in the fourth, shooting 2 of 14 from the field. The 48 points were easily a season low. The Huskies were also dominated on the glass, with South Carolina holding a 47-32 advantage.

It's true that it was a physical game. Bodies were flying under the basket for the majority of the night for both teams. UConn was whistled for 17 fouls, while South Carolina was called for just eight.

The problem for Strong and Fudd was they couldn't hit shots even when they had a little space to operate. The 6-foot-2 Strong — AP's Player of the Year — was bothered by South Carolina's interior size, with several of her inside shots rattling in and out.

“Well, sometimes we do forget she’s a sophomore,” Auriemma said. “She’s carried a huge load for this team. An awful lot falls on her. Tonight she’ll be the first to tell you that she is not proud of how her game went today.”

Strong's teammates couldn't pick up the slack. Ashlynn Shade finished with 10 points and Quiñonez added seven. Heckel missed a layup late in the game and the broadcast showed her starting to cry walking back down the court.

Teammates encouraged her and one even lifted her chin, but the damage was done.

UConn’s 54-game winning streak is over.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts after during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma motions towards the court during the first half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts after during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)