Football – Katariina Kosola’s goal gave Finland a 1-0 win over 10-woman Iceland in the opening match of the Women’s European Championship yesterday, giving the Finns the perfect start in Group A which also contains hosts Switzerland and Norway.
Finland lost all three games at the last tournament, scoring one goal, but after Iceland’s Hildur Antonsdottir’s red card in the 58th minute, Kosola made the breakthrough 12 minutes later.
The first half ended goalless, with Iceland threatening from set-pieces and Sveindis Jonsdottir’s long throw-ins while Finland created the better chances but were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Cecilia Runarsdottir.
Inter Milan’s Runarsdottir, voted best Serie A keeper last season, made an excellent diving save to keep out Kosola’s shot from the edge of the area. Iceland lost captain Glodis Viggosdottir to injury, with the defender replaced at halftime.
Another throw-in from Jonsdottir brought Iceland their first real opportunity after the break with Finnish keeper Anna Koivunen saving one effort and Emma Koivisto blocking another shot but it also led to the red card for Antonsdottir. She had been booked six minutes earlier and a rash off the ball challenge brought a second yellow card and left Iceland down to 10 with over half an hour remaining.
The drums of the Icelandic fans echoed around the Arena Thun but it was Finland who now controlled the tempo on the pitch and deservedly found a way through.
Kosola took the ball into the box and cut inside before smacking a beautiful shot, which Runarsdottir got a hand to but could not stop the ball sailing into the top corner.
Iceland pushed to the end for an equaliser but Finland held on to take the three points.
l Switzerland took the lead against Norway but fell to a 2-1 defeat on home soil after scoring an own goal in the second Group A game, with Norwegian captain Ada Hegerberg netting the equaliser and missing a penalty.
Having lost to the Norwegians twice in the Nations League earlier in the year, the home side dominated the opening 45 minutes and Geraldine Reuteler came close to giving them the lead in the 24th minute with a shot that cannoned back off the crossbar before Nadine Riesen struck four minutes later to send the St Jakob-Park Stadium into raptures.
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