Women's European Championship | Group Stage

Jul 6, 2025 at 5pm UK

Stade de Tourbillon

Norway Women vs Finland Women

Match preview

Norway are aiming to avoid a third successive group-stage exit, having suffered early exits in 2017 and 2022.

Their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds received a boost when they narrowly beat Switzerland 2-1 on matchday one.

Ada Hegerberg scored in the second half to cancel out Nadine Riesen's opener, and a Julia Stierli own goal quickly turned the game in Norway's favour.

However, Hegerberg missed the chance to extend Norway's lead when she dragged her penalty wide of the goalkeeper's right post. Nevertheless, her miss did not prove costly, as her team saw out the remainder of the match to secure their third victory over Switzerland in 2025.

Norway can secure their place in the quarter-finals with one game to go if they beat Finland on Sunday and Iceland fail to win their final group game.

To collect all three points, Norway will have to record back-to-back wins for the first time since their four-game winning streak at the end of 2024.

Finland have failed to progress beyond the group stage in their last two European Championship appearances, in 2013 and 2022.

Consequently, they are aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since their home tournament in 2009.

Currently sitting alongside Norway on three points, they recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Iceland on matchday one, who played with ten players for much of the game.

Finland made full use of their numerical advantage following Hildur Antonsdottir's 58^(th)-minute red card, with Katariina Kosola going on to score the decisive goal.

Having claimed their first European Championship win since 2009, Finland know that another victory on Sunday will secure their place in the quarter-finals, provided Switzerland fail to beat Iceland.

They can take confidence from the fact that they have proven to be tough opponents in recent times, having lost just one of their previous seven international matches (W4, D2).

Recent Performance

Norway Women Women's European Championship form:W

Finland Women Women's European Championship form:W

Team News

Norway boss Gemma Grainger may decide to stick with the same line-up that started in Wednesday's narrow victory over Switzerland.

Defender Thea Bjelde will need to be careful with her challenges, as she is currently one yellow card away from suspension after receiving a caution on matchday one.

Having scored her 50th goal for Norway, Hegeberg will be looking to add to her impressive international tally when she leads the line against Finland.

Meanwhile, Finland boss Marko Saloranta is reluctant to change the team that narrowly beat Iceland.

Targeting another clean sheet, Natalia Kuikka will continue her central defensive partnership with Eva Nyström, who is on a disciplinary tightrope after receiving a yellow card on Wednesday.

Jutta Rantala, who plays for Leicester City, could be given more minutes off the bench after making her return from a long-term injury as a late substitute on matchday one.

Possible starting lineup

Norway Women possible starting lineup:

Fiskerstrand; Bjelde, Mjelde, Hansen, Lund; Boe Risa, Engen; Maanum, Hansen, Reiten; Hegerberg

Finland Women possible starting lineup:

Koivunen; Koivisto, Kuikka, Nystrom, Tynnila; O. Siren, Summanen, Oling, Kosola; Franssi; Sallstrom