Women's football: Spain reaches the European Championship semi-finals after a 2-0 win against Switzerland

The Miracle of Bern failed to materialize for the Swiss women's soccer team. Despite a courageous performance, the hosts bowed out of the European Championship in the quarterfinals. Coach Pia Sundhage's team lost 2-0 (0-0) to the favorites from Spain, who missed two penalties. The world champions continue their campaign in Zurich on Wednesday in the semifinals – against either Germany or France.

Athenea del Castillo (66th minute) and Claudia Pina (71st minute) scored in front of 29,734 spectators at Bern's sold-out Wankdorf Stadium. Mariona Caldentey (9th minute) fired the first penalty for Montse Tomé's clearly superior team wide. In the closing stages, two-time World Player of the Year Alexia Putellas (88th minute) was denied by goalkeeper Livia Peng. Swiss Noelle Maritz (90th minute/serious foul) was shown the red card.

Fight for the ball: Spaniard Aitana Bonmati (red jersey) tries to take the ball away from Swiss player Lia Walti.

Source: IMAGO/Shutterstock

"Time to move mountains," the loud Swiss fans had painted on a poster, embellishing the message with a red-and-white choreography. It didn't take long for the first mountain to be moved: Caldentey fired a penalty kick low past the left side of the Swiss goal. A collective cheer rippled through Wankdorf. The miss-kicker had been rather clumsily tripped over in the penalty area by Frankfurt's Nadine Riesen.

The Swiss, reaching their first European Championship quarterfinals, had to run and suffer a lot. Spain passed, tricked, and dominated, but failed to find the net. Peng parried a powerful free kick from Pina, and center-back Irene Paredes headed the ball onto the post from a corner. The national team, led by super-talented Sydney Schertenleib, was completely ineffective offensively.

"We're not playing against Spain to get beaten," Swiss captain Lia Wälti had promised. The hosts kept their word, celebrating sliding tackles, touchline shots, and winning runs. The little things, in other words. The fans loved it. "Hopp, Schwiiz!" thundered from the stands at halftime. The cowbells rang, the 0-0 scoreline tasted good.

After an hour, the second hurdle was cleared in Wankdorf when the Spanish women's corner was first hit by the left and then the right post. After that, their luck tank was empty, as the world champions then did world-class things: Two-time World Player of the Year Aitana Bonmatí set up the long-deserved lead with a backheel for del Castillo, who had just come on as a substitute. A few minutes later, Pina curled the ball into the corner in a stunning fashion. It was the end of all Swiss hopes of a sensation, even though Peng did save a penalty against Putellas.

RND/dpa