Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Women’s Euro match.
Heading into the final round of fixtures in Group A, three of the four teams still have a chance of progressing to the knockout stage. Finland and Switzerland will decide their fate in a direct clash.
Finland (women)
The situation is more challenging for Finland. Only a win will guarantee a place in the quarter-finals, whereas Switzerland only need a draw, as they currently have a superior goal difference. Victory for the Finnish team over Iceland in the opening round looked somewhat fortunate, a notion reinforced by a 2:1 defeat to Norway. The decisive goal in that match came just six minutes before the end of regular time. Importantly, the match saw no red cards.
Switzerland (women)
Switzerland matched that result against Iceland, but did so in more convincing fashion with a 2:0 win. Unlike their opponents, they did not benefit from a dismissal. Even after a 29th-minute goal was ruled out by VAR, they kept composure. The Swiss team looked fully aware that goal difference could prove crucial in the final standings and continued to push forward. Their persistence paid off when substitute Alayah Pilgrim found the net in the 90th minute.
Finland (women) vs Switzerland (women) Prediction
While Switzerland sit slightly higher than Finland in the FIFA world rankings—23rd compared to 26th—that is not the sole factor in this analysis. Against Norway, which currently leads the group, the Swiss team converted first-half pressure into goals. By contrast, the Finnish team only managed to respond after falling behind. We're taking Switzerland with a zero handicap. Playing in front of home fans could provide the extra edge they need.
