French hold off Swiss pressure

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, July 27, (AFP): A late Camille Abily free-kick sent 10-woman France through to the Euro quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw against Switzerland, alongside newcomers Austria who routed Iceland 3-0 on Wednesday.

In Breda, Switzerland took the lead on 19 minutes when Eve Perisset was sent off for bringing down Ramona Bachmann and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic slammed in a header from the ensuing free-kick.

In the 76th minute, Abily’s free-kick somehow slipped through the fingers of Swiss goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann, following Crnogorcevic’s foul on Eugenie Le Sommer.

In Rotterdam, Austria cruised to an easy win against Iceland to seal top spot in Group C with first-half goals by Sarah Zadrazil and Nina Burger, and a late strike by substitute Stefanie Enzinger.

Zadrazil fired home on 36 minutes, capitalising on a howler by keeper Gudbjorg Gunnarsdottir who failed to deal France’s defender Wendie Renard (right), challenges Switzerland’s defender Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 football match between Switzerland and France at the Rat Verlegh Stadium in Breda on July 26.

(AFP)