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Coumba Sow (left) with the 1-0
Photo: Dave Thompson/AP
Switzerland missed a win against Portugal at the start of the European Championship.
In the Leigh Sports Village they separated from the tournament successors 2:2 (2:0).
After the exclusion of the Russians, the Portuguese filled the field of participants, in the playoffs they were still inferior to them.
Two weeks after the harsh 7-0 defeat in the friendly against Germany, the Swiss made an ideal start to the game: Coumba Sow made it 1-0 early on with a right-footed shot (2nd minute), Rahel Kiwic increased with a header (5th).
It took just four minutes and eleven seconds to make it 2-0, no team in the history of the European Championship was faster with two goals in the lead.
After that, the encounter calmed down, Portugal were initially out for damage limitation, the Swiss concentrated on controlling the game with a secure lead behind them.
The game only picked up speed again after 50 minutes.
And it was Switzerland's top player who almost scored the next goal: attacker Ramona Bachmann from Paris Saint-Germain fired just wide of the goal on the right (53').
Gomes and Silva equalize
But the Portuguese also acted more energetically and took out numerous corner balls.
The sixth brought the goal success: Díana Gomes first failed with a header, but then brought the ball over the line in the follow-up shot (58th).
And things got even better for the now much better Portuguese women: Jéssica Silva scored the equalizer from 15 meters (65').
In the final phase, both teams missed a possible win, among others, the Swiss Geraldine Reuteler only hit the crossbar (81st), on the other side Telma Encarnação hit the post (88th).
Group C still faces Sweden and the Netherlands in the evening.
On Wednesday, the games between Sweden and Switzerland (6 p.m.) and the Netherlands against Portugal (9 p.m.) continue.
mfu
