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07/06 16:35 CDT Euro 2025: Norway overcomes Finland with Graham Hansen's late
goal to win Group A
Euro 2025: Norway overcomes Finland with Graham Hansen's late goal to win Group
A
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
SION, Switzerland (AP) --- Norway winger Caroline Graham Hansen showed Sunday
why she was second in the Ballon d'Or vote last year to her superstar Barcelona
teammate Aitana Bonmat.
Graham Hansen lifted Norway into the quarterfinals of the Women's European
Championships with a decisive late goal in a 2-1 win over an impressive Finland
which deserved more.
It meant Norway became the first team in the knockout rounds as the winner of
Group A after host Switzerland beat Iceland 2-0 in the later game Sunday.
In the 84th minute of a tied game, there seemed little danger when Graham
Hansen got the ball tight on the right wing marked by two Finland opponents 40
meters (yards) from goal.
She dribbled past both players detailed to stop her, darted into the penalty
area, met two more defenders, deceived them and created space to float a deft
chip that went into the net off the far post.
Maybe it was a cross aimed for Norway captain Ada Hegerberg but it still looked
great. Hegerberg, a Ballon d'Or winner, put her hands to her head as if in
disbelief at what Graham Hansen had done.
"It was a half-shot, half-cross," Graham Hansen acknowledged. "If it wasn't
going in, it was going to Ada. You have to make something happen out of
nothing."
Just three minutes earlier, she had missed a much easier chance to win the game
by scooping a shot over the bar when having almost too much time to think and
pick her spot.
"You maybe feel like that was the chance that could have secured the victory,"
Graham Hansen said. "But you can't stay in the past."
It left Finland coach Marko Saloranta praising "a world-class player, among the
top three players in the world in my opinion."
It gave Norway a second 2-1 win at Euro 2025 after being outshined for much of
the game. Norway had opened Wednesday with a come-from-behind win over
Switzerland which had dominated the first half.
"This result was brutal after the performance," Saloranta said in translated
comments. "We really should have won this match."
Norway moves on Norway now sits atop Group A with six points. Finland is on three, from its opening-day 1-0 win over Iceland, and Switzerland also has three points. Switzerland plays Finland in the final round of Group A games on Thursday. Norway holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over either team if they end tied on six points. Iceland was eliminated Sunday ahead of playing Norway in its last game. Norway has been severely tested at Euro 2025 yet will be in the quarterfinals --- likely avoiding Spain. "It's the quality of a good team that we find a way to win," Norway coach Gemma Grainger said, noting her side could have been three goals ahead before Finland stepped up. Finland's fightback Norway led in the third minute when Graham Hansen had forced an own-goal from Finland defender Eva Nystrm after excellent play on the right wing. Oona Sevenius deservedly leveled for Finland in the 32nd, showing fine balance to direct a rising left-foot shot from 16 yards (meters). Norway was again robbed of the ball in its own half by effective pressing. For all its tidy play, Finland was lucky not to go two goals down. Norway struck the crossbar and a post from back-to-back corners, then Hegerberg was denied by goalkeeper Anna Koivunen's brave blocking save. Finland dominated play midway through the second half and forced Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand into diving saves from shots by Katariina Kosola and Eveliina Sumannen, whose effort was tipped on to a post. Next stage Norway will go to Geneva on July 16 to play the first quarterfinal against the runner-up in Spain's Group B. Either Switzerland or Finland will play the Group B winner --- likely Spain --- in Bern on July 18. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
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