European Football Championships | Switzerland, plagued by a stomach disease, was about to organize a surprise, but Sweden held on and took its opening victory of the European Championships

Sport|European football championships

Pre-favourite Sweden took their opening win in the Women’s European Football Championship on Wednesday night when they beat Switzerland 2-1.

Switzerland set out to challenge Sweden from a difficult starting point, as the team has suffered from a stomach bug. On Tuesday, even 19 team members had stomach problems. According to the Swiss media, it was norovirus.

Read more: Norovirus is tormenting Switzerland at the European football championships, 19 of the team have suffered from stomach problems

Swedish was in surprisingly big trouble in the match, and the opening goal had to wait until the second half.

It was struck by Sweden in the 53rd minute Fridolina Rolföwhen he shot the ball past the Switzerland keeper by Gaëlle Thalmann.

Switzerland tied the game on the very next attack when Ramona Bachmann buried the ball in the goal with a great shot.

However, it did not bring the underdogs a point, because Hannah Bennison scored Sweden’s 2–1 winning goal less than ten minutes before full time.

In the match drama was seen already during the first half, when the Spanish referee Marta Huerta de Aza awarded Switzerland a penalty kick. However, the situation was checked on video, and in the end the penalty was nullified.

There was also enough drama at the end of the match, when Sweden had opportunities to increase their lead. In the last minutes of the actual game time Rebecca Blomqvist shot the ball into the goal, but the situation was ruled offside. The exact same thing happened in added time a few minutes later.

With the win, Sweden is at the top of Group C with four points and Switzerland is last with one point before the late evening match between Holland and Portugal.