Swiss beat Iceland to keep alive Women's Euro knockout hopes

Geraldine Reuteler got the opening goal and Alayah Pilgrim scored a late second as hosts Switzerland beat Iceland 2-0 on Sunday to keep alive their hopes of a place in the knockout stage by registering their first win in Group A at the Women's Euros,

With both sides having lost their opening game there was little margin for error, but the Swiss almost went behind in the first minute when Ingibjorg Sigurdarsdottir sent a thunderous shot off the crossbar, shocking the majority of the 29,658 fans in attendance.

It took until the 76th minute for Reuteler to break the deadlock in a tough, tense encounter as Iceland lost the ball in midfield and Sydney Schertenlieb slid it into her path to fire home, and Pilgrim finished a Swiss counter-attack with a deflected shot that flew into the net to wrap up the three points.

After Norway's 2-1 win over Finland earlier in the day moved them to the top of the group, the Swiss move up to second spot ahead of Finland on goal difference, while bottom side Iceland now have no chance of progressing.

The Swiss take on Finland in their final group game in Geneva on Wednesday, with Iceland facing group leaders Norway, who have now qualified for the last eight, in Thun.