Norway came from behind to defeat tournament hosts Switzerland 2-1 in their opening Women's Euro 2025 fixture on Wednesday, clinching the top spot in Group A after a gritty second-half turnaround in Basel.
In front of 34,000 fans at St Jakob-Park, Ada Hegerbergs header and an own goal by Julia Stierli turned the match around for Norway following a first-half strike from Nadine Riesen. The match unfolded in sweltering conditions, with temperatures still reaching 28C 82F by the final whistle.
Earlier in the day, Finland began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Iceland in Thun, but it's Norway who lead the group on goals scored. Despite the win, Norway's performance raised questions about their chances of claiming a major title, with star players such as Hegerberg and Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen yet to fully hit their stride.
Norway coach Gemma Grainger acknowledged the imperfect performance: "In football, you create your own luck. These tournament matches are tight. Ideally, you want to play well and win, but sometimes that doesn't go hand-in-hand."
Switzerland controlled much of the first half and came close to taking the lead when Geraldine Reuteler's long-range effort struck the crossbar in the 24th minute. Just four minutes later, the hosts did go ahead through Riesen, who pounced on a deflected cross to squeeze a shot in off the near post.