Dutch women reach Euro quarterfinals
Defending champion the Netherlands needed a late surge to beat Switzerland 4-1 and guarantee a place in the European Championship quarterfinals, while Sweden qualified with ease in a 5-0 win over Portugal in Sheffield, England.
Still missing star forward Vivianne Miedema, who tested positive for the coronavirus, the Dutch team was held at 1-1 until the 84th minute when Romée Leuchter sent a looping header high over onrushing goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalman, who had made a string of impressive saves up to that point.
Victoria Pelova made it 3-1 in the 89th minute — but only after a long VAR check for offside — and Leuchter got her second and the team's fourth in added time.
Needing a draw to qualify, the Dutch performance was less convincing than the eventual threegoal margin suggested. It wasn't enough to secure first place in Group C — which went to Sweden — so the Netherlands must next face France in the quarterfinals.
After a goalless first half notable mostly for video review overturning a penalty for the Netherlands, the Dutch team took the lead in the 49th minute when Swiss midfielder Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic tried to head the ball off the line but instead deflected it into her own net. The Swiss response was almost immediate, Géraldine Reuteler scoring off a pass from Ramona Bachmann.
Sweden qualified top of the group after two goals just before halftime took the fight out of Portugal.
Filippa Angeldal opened the scoring in the 21st and made it 2-0 in the 45th before an own-goal for the third as the ball deflected in off Carole Costa's head at a corner.
Captain Kosovare Asllani scored a 54th-minute penalty and Stina Blackstenius further extended Sweden's lead in stoppage time.
• Manchester United reached an agreement with Ajax to buy defender Lisandro Martínez for nearly $58 million.
The center back took a flight to England this weekend to finalize the move which will see him rejoin manager Erik ten Hag, who moved to United from Ajax.
Martínez, 24, still has to pass a medical examination and sign a contract.
Ajax said the transfer fee will be 57.37 million euros ($57.9 million) with a potential further 10 million euros for the Dutch club in conditional add-ons.