Zurich, July 13: Sweden came from behind with a four-goal display to beat ten-player Germany and win Group C of the 2025 Women's European Championship.

Both teams booked a quarter-final place before by beating Denmark and Poland but there was still a top spot to play for, with Sweden starting ahead on goal difference.

Jule Brand gave Germany a deserved early lead but by half-time they were 3-1 down as Stina Blackstenius equalised and Smilla Holmberg got her first Sweden goal on only her third cap before, with Carlotta Wamser dismissed for a handball on the line, Fridolina Rolfo converted a penalty to mark her 100th cap.

Lina Hurtig came off the bench to get a fourth for Sweden, who go into the quarter-finals having won all three group games.

Elsewhere, tournament debutants Poland concluded their UEFA Women's EURO 2025 campaign with a landmark win over Denmark.

On the same day that Iga Swiatek became the first Polish singles champion at Wimbledon, her footballing compatriots concluded their debut UEFA Women's EURO campaign with three landmark goals in a historic 3-2 victory.

Both Poland and Denmark were certain of elimination before a ball was kicked in Lucerne, but it was Nina Patalon's squad who ended their campaign on a high, scoring their first goal at a Women's EURO finals and recording their first victory at the Euros.

Denmark narrowly missed a great opportunity to take the lead in the eighth minute, Janni Thomsen volleying over Pernille Harder's cross from the right. They were quickly made to rue that missed chance as Poland scored their first-ever Women’s EURO finals goal at the other end to take a 13th-minute lead.

The move started with the goal scorer Natalia Padilla sliding in Ewelina Kamczyk down the right wing. Poland’s No8 then aimed a low cross towards the run of Ewa Pajor at the near post, which she was unable to turn goalwards under heavy pressure, but the ball rolled out invitingly for Padilla to stroke into the far corner with her left foot.

All three of those players were involved again as Poland doubled their lead seven minutes later, Pajor sparking the attack by winning the ball in the Denmark half and finishing it with an emphatic header while Kamczyk had fed Padilla before she assisted from the right wing.

Denmark then suffered another setback in the 24th minute when captain Harder was forced off with injury, Sofie Bredgaard taking her place in the forward line, and Poland almost had a third soon after.

Running onto a lovely back-heeled set-up from Pajor, Kamczyk’s powerful left-footed strike was spilled onto the crossbar by Denmark goalkeeper Maja Bay Ostergaard.

Signe Bruun then came close with two headed chances in added time, giving some positives for Andrée Jeglertz to point to as he prepared his team for the second half – his final one as Denmark head coach before taking charge of the women's team at Manchester City.

Within 14 minutes of the restart, his team had pulled one back – Thomsen's powerful effort from outside the box wriggling through the hands of Kinga Szemik.

Poland then restored their two-goal cushion, substitute Martyna Wiankowska curling in a fine finish with Padilla's miscued shot acting as an inadvertent set-up, but Denmark ensured a nervy ending as they struck back in the 83rd minute.

Agonisingly close with two first-half headers, Bruun finally got her goal as she leapt to meet Katrine Veje's excellent cross and inspired hopes of a late recovery.

Though Denmark came close with another header in added time – Nadia Nadim's back-post header saved smartly by Szemik – those hopes were ultimately disappointed.
(IANS)

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