Postpublished at 74 mins
Iceland 0-1 Finland
Katariina Kosola picks the ball up again on the left as she looks to come inside and fire another strike on target but it's always rising.
Watch highlights from Finland's win against Iceland
Katariina Kosola's fine strike clinched a 1-0 win for Finland over 10-player Iceland to kick off Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
Rather than the hosts opening proceedings, as has become expected at major tournaments, these nations started the Euros in Thun - but both struggled to break the deadlock in a scrappy first half at Stockhorn Arena.
Iceland were reduced to 10 players when Hildur Antonsdottir was shown a second yellow card for stamping on Eveliina Summanen's ankle with 33 minutes remaining.
Finland capitalised on their advantage and found the back of the net 12 minutes later when Kosola curled a terrific strike past goalkeeper Cecilia Runarsdottir into the top corner.
Sveindis Jonsdottir had a chance to equalise moments later when through on goal but swept her effort wide, much to the disappointment of the raucous Iceland support.
Despite it being the opening game of Euro 2025, there was little fanfare as the players took to the pitch.
It was similar to every other competitive international, with fans belting out their national anthems and the countries' flags laid out on the pitch.
While Euro 2022 kicked off in spectacular fashion when hosts England edged past Austria in front of 68,871 fans at Old Trafford, the first game in Switzerland was played in a 8,100-capacity stadium with some empty seats.
It seemed a strange way to get the tournament under way, but the party atmosphere will begin in the later Group A fixture as hosts Switzerland and Norway start their campaigns after a three-part opening ceremony at St Jakob-Park in Basel.
'Terrific opening goal' for Finland
Even before her sublime goal, Kosola was the liveliest player on the pitch.
The winger, who plays for Swedish club Malmo, came close with a wayward cross early in the first half, before forcing a diving save from Runarsdottir moments later.
Iceland's Antonsdottir, meanwhile, had a game to forget with a reckless challenge on Summanen, having already been on a yellow, costing her side.
Iceland have further cause for concern after their captain and star centre-back Glodis Viggosdottir was forced off with an injury at half-time, after requiring treatment twice.
Finland ended an eight-match winless run in the competition that stretched back to Euro 2009, when they lost to England in the quarter-finals.
Finland face Norway next at the smaller 7 ,750-capacity Stade de Tourbillon in Sion on Sunday at 17:00 BST.
Iceland are up against hosts Switzerland later that day (20:00) in Bern's Wankdorf Stadium.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
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2 Finland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
|
3 Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
|
4 Iceland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
|
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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2 Italy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
3 Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
4 Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Denmark | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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2 Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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3 Poland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
4 Sweden | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| |
2 France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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3 Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Manager: Thorsteinn Halldórsson
Formation: 4 - 4 - 1 - 1
Manager: Marko Saloranta
Formation: 4 - 4 - 1 - 1
Manager: Thorsteinn Halldórsson
Formation: 4 - 4 - 1 - 1
Manager: Marko Saloranta
Formation: 4 - 4 - 1 - 1
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