England set an attendance record. Big wins for Norway, Spain, Germany and France.
England 1–0 Austria
England v Austria set a Women’s European Championship attendance record at 68,871, at the country’s biggest club ground and at times both the crowd and the players showed the nerves of the occasion. Nonetheless, Beth Mead’s goal in the 16th minute, toe-poking the ball over an on-rushing goalkeeper, held up to give the hosts a win. With that said, only beating a side 1–0 when you have a 21 goal difference in your overall record, is somewhat of a moral defeat for the Lionesses. The Frauen-National Team (they don’t have another nickname) of Austria will take more positives. England will mostly be happy to have won their opener in what is, after all is said and done, a major tournament.
Norway 4–1 Northern Ireland
The green and white army of Northern Ireland supporters made themselves heard throughout their first ever Euro match but the action on the field was dominated by Norway.
The first goal of the game came in the 9th minute as Julie Blakstad fired low and hard past the near post of Jacqueline Burns in the Northern Irish net. Three minutes later, the NI defense gave up a ball in their own penalty area and Ada Hegerberg set up a tap in for Frida Maanum. Nadene Caldwell conceded a soft penalty in the 30th minute when the ball struck her elbow as she was falling to the ground. Caroline Graham Hansen dispatched the PK. Julie Nelson became the first ever goalscorer at this level for Norn Iron in the 49th minute, and the oldest goalscorer in women’s Euro history, at 37 years old. Guro Reiten scored the Norwegians’ fourth goal, curling the ball around the wall and into the goal from just outside the right edge of the penalty area in the 54th minute.
Spain 4–1 Finland
An extraordinary start to this match, with Spain missing a chance within 20 seconds and then conceding immediately afterwards through Linda Sällström. After incessant pressure from Spain, the equalizer came from a left wing corner, headed home emphatically and in traffic by the captain Irene Paredes in the 26th minute. Finland did recover their composure and make life difficult for Spain on the break for the remainder of the half. Implausibly, the 5' 2" and unmarked Aitana Bonmatí flicked a header from the penalty spot past the Finnish goalkeeper in the 42nd minute for a Spanish lead heading into half-time.
Ona Batlle had the clearest chance at the start of the second half, with her solo run down the right only halted by the Finnish keeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela in the 50th minute. Lucía García scored in the 75th minute, flicking on a header from a Mapi León free kick. Mariona Caldentey sealed the win with a PK deep in second half stoppage time, after Elli Pikkujämsä brought down Marta Cardona.
Germany 4–0 Denmark
Germany had the first clear chance of the game in the 8th minute as Felicitas Rauch blasted against the post. The Germans hit the crossbar and then the post in quick succession in the 14th minute as the Danish goal lived a charmed life. Lina Magull opened the scoring for Germany in the 21st minute, stealing the ball just outside the area and driving in towards the goalkeeper before hammering the ball past her near post. Signe Bruun had a chance to level matters for Denmark with 29 minutes on the clock but Merle Frohms in the German net was able to stop it. Klara Bühl had another close chance for Germany in the 39th minute but it was only 1–0 at the half.
It took until the 57th minute for Lea Schüller to score Germany’s second goal, a header off a left wing corner. Two goals from 60th minute substitutes wrapped up the win. Lena Lattwein hit the post from a corner two minutes after entering, but only scored in the 78th minute with her first international goal off a set-piece — finishing at the near post after a free kick was headed across into her path. Captain Alexandra Popp scored in the 86th minute to ice the hard fought win, a diving low header unmarked in the six yard box.
Portugal 2–2 Switzerland
Two goals within the opening three minutes from Switzerland were enough for a half time lead. Coumba Sow blasted one from just outside the penalty arc into the bottom right hand corner for the opener within 90 seconds and the Nati followed up through a header from Rahel Kiwic. Switzerland sat back on their lead, but to that point, the Seleçao had offered no threat on goal.
A series of corners in the early stages of the second half by Portugal eventually led to a goal, bundled home by Diana Gomes. Jéssica Silva equalized in the 66th minute and the Swiss side which burst into a 2–0 win was fully in its shell. In the end, it was an early contender for match of the tournament and a fully deserved point for both sides.
Netherlands 1–1 Sweden
Kosse Asllani attacked down the right wing and nutmegged her defender before setting it on a plate for Jonna Andersson to tap home. The equalizer came in the 53rd minute, from a fast counter through Viviane Miedema, broken play drops to Jill Roord — sliced into the bottom corner of the goal. Both sides had good chances to take the lead and will possibly feel the sting of two points lost rather than the glow of a point gained.
Belgium 1–1 Iceland
Iceland had the better chances in the match but the match ended as a draw, and a tale of two PKs. Berglind Thorvaldsdóttir missed her attempt, in the 33rd minute, whereas Justine Vanhaevermaet scored hers to level the score in the 67th minute — between which times, Berglind scored a 49th minute header.
France 5–1 Italy
The final match of Matchday 1 turned out to be the least competitive, as France ran all over Italy. Italy actually had a massive chance to make it 1–0, but Pauline Peyraud-Magnin blocked the shot from within the 6 yard box with her feet with 4 mins played. 5 minutes later, Grace Geyoro finished inside the opposing six yard box after a defensive clearance was sliced into her path. Marie-Antoniette Katoto pounced on a parry from Laura Guiliani from similar range after 12 minutes. Katoto hit the post with a flicked header in the 14th minute. Delphine Cascarino blasted the French ahead 3–0 from outside of the area with 38 on the clock. A minute later, Geyoro split the Italian defense on the run and slotted home her second. The French fifth, and the hat trick for Geyoro came after she herself intercepted an Italian defensive pass in the 45th minute and passed it into the corner. Martina Piemonte scored the sole consolation for Italy, in the 75th minute, on a day that belonged to the French.
