Kosola's corker gets Finns off and running in opener

Finland secured their first victory at a Women's European Championship in 16 years with a narrow win against 10-player Iceland. Katariina Kosola's superb second-half strike proved enough after Hildur Antonsdóttir had seen red.

- Sophie Downey

After all the buildup, the tournament finally got under way in Thun. Sweltering under the heat of the Swiss summer, Iceland and Finland took to the field in the opening day's early kick-off. Thorsteinn Halldórsson's Iceland came in as favourites due to their recent form but this group is considered by many as too close to call and this encounter was predicted to be a tight and compact affair.

Ranked 12 places higher than Finland, Halldórsson named an unchanged lineup from the one that had beaten Serbia 3-1 in a friendly last week. They received a boost pre-tournament with the return of the captain, Glódís Viggósdóttir, who had missed the final few months of the Bundesliga season with a knee injury. Inter's goalkeeper Cecilía Rúnarsdóttir made her Euros bow while Sveindis Jónsdóttir, their best attacking outlet, took up her place on the wing.