Football: Austria Edge Out Switzerland At Women's Euro

DEVENTER, Netherlands, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jul, 2017 ) - Captain Nina Burger's early goal handed Austria a 1-0 win over 10-woman Switzerland in a clash of newcomers at the women's European Championship in the Netherlands on Tuesday.

In the Group C opener in Deventer, Burger scored 15 minutes in with a clinical right-foot finish after a pass from Sarah Zadrazil. Switzerland were reduced to ten players after Rahel Kiwic was sent off for bringing down Burger just outside the box with half an hour to go.

Austria had lost six of their previous eight encounters with Switzerland, but they were the more aggressive team in the first half. Solid throughout the game, the Austrian defence all but eliminated Switzerland star Ramona Bachmann of Chelsea.

After the break, Kiwic saw her header cleared off the goal line by Sarah Puntigam. Puntigam then almost punished Kiwic for her foul on Burger, but her free-kick was kept out by Gaelle Thalmann in the Swiss goal.

Swiss substitute Vanessa Bernauer then saw a long-range shot diverted to safety by keeper Manuela Zinsberger. Ten minutes from the end, Bachmann saw her shot deflected by the Austrian defence just over the crossbar as Austria hung on, although Thalmann prevented Viktoria Pinther from scoring a second. In Group C's other game, France take on Iceland in Tilburg later on Tuesday.