Sweden earned a 2-1 victory over Switzerland in the Women’s European Championship at Bramall Lane on Wednesday as 19-year-old Hanna Bennison scored the winning goal after coming off the bench.
Everton midfielder Bennison, the youngest player in the Sweden squad, scored a stunning goal from the edge of the box after Switzerland’s Ramona Bachmann cancelled out Fridolina Rolfo’s opener for the Swedes.
Women’s Euros: News & features | Fixtures & results | Tables
The result kept Europe’s top-ranked team Sweden on top of Group C with four points, while Switzerland remain third with one point. The group also includes defending champions Netherlands and Portugal, who meet later on Wednesday.
After a quiet first half, Sweden took the lead in the 53rd minute when Barcelona forward Rolfo finished off a neat team move with a low shot past goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann at the near post.
But the Swedes’ joy was short-lived as Switzerland’s Bachmann scored the equaliser within two minutes, curling a shot around goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl and into the top far corner.
A goalline clearance by defender Viola Calligaris in the 69th minute kept Switzerland in the game, but Bennison put Sweden back in front in the 79th minute with her first international goal.
Bennison fired home a thumping strike after the ball was played across the edge of the penalty area as she scored within 11 minutes of coming off the bench.
Sweden had two goals disallowed for offside in the final moments of the game, but it made no difference as they went on to celebrate their first win of this year’s tournament.
