Euro 2025 Day One Tipsheet: Back Norway to spoil hosts' big night | OneFootball

Switzerland v Norway - Hosts to make poor start

Wednesday 02 July, 20:00Live on BBC One

Norway are one of the great enigmas of the international game. The talent is unquestionably there - Guro Reiten has been consistently superb for Chelsea, Ada Hegerberg was the first ever winner of the Ballon d'Or Feminin, Ingrid Engen is an outstanding defensive midfielder, Caroline Graham Hansen is one of the best wingers on the planet, and there are a host of other talented players like Arsenal's Frida Maanum and Manchester United's Elisabeth Terland.

The issue has been pulling it all together as a cohesive unit, and Norway hope that English coach Gemma Grainger can find the magic formula, after doing some encouraging work with Wales. Norway certainly have every reason to think they can overcome hosts Switzerland, as they beat them twice in the Nations League earlier this year.

Switzerland were competitive in both of those matches, and their vastly experienced coach Pia Sundhage gives them a fighting chance of making the knockout phase. The Swede was a Euros winner as a player with Sweden, and has coached the USA, Sweden and Brazil.

However, Sundhage doesn't have the same quality of raw material as she has had in previous jobs, and an injury to experienced forward Ramona Bachmann is a major blow. Although home advantage is a factor here, I can't get away from the idea that 2.04 for the Norway win is a great price. Player for player, Norway are far stronger, and they have shown that in recent meetings.

Iceland v Finland - Hardy Finns can at least find the net

Wednesday 02 July, 17:00

The tournament kicks off with a North European clash between two sides that hope to cause an upset by reaching the knockout phase. Finland broke Scottish hearts in the playoffs, while Iceland really caught the eye in qualifying, finishing just two points behind Germany in their section and winning four of their six games.

However, Iceland weren't anywhere near as impressive in the Nations League. They failed to win any of their six games, and kept just two clean sheets. Indeed, they have managed just three shut-outs in their last 11 outings (including friendlies).

Iceland do have attacking talent thought, and Angel City FC star Sveindis Jonsdottir is one to watch. The 24-year-old has 14 international goals, and she won the league and the cup with Wolfsburg in Germany. To give Iceland and their established coach Thorsteinn Haldorsson some credit, the Stelpunar Okkar have reached the finals five times in a row.

Finland lost all of their games at the 2022 finals, but they pushed the Netherlands hard recently in a 2-1 friendly defeat, and they only lost one of their six games in the Nations League, albeit at League B level. In qualifying for this tournament, they beat Italy 2-1 and held both Norway and the Dutch to 1-1 draws.