Bennison scores winner for Sweden against illness-hit Swiss
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Bennison scores winner for Sweden against illness-hit Swiss
SHEFFIELD (AP) — Hanna Bennison came off the bench to score with a thunderous shot and give Sweden a 2-1 win Wednesday against a Switzerland team affected by illness at the European Championship.
The determined and well-organized Swiss defense kept Sweden at bay until the 52nd minute, when Fridolina Rolfö finished off a slick Swedish team move through the center. Switzerland responded immediately with a curling shot from Ramona Bachmann for the equalizer after Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl gave away the ball.
Bennison scored the winning goal in the 79th with a powerful shot from just outside the penalty area. Sweden twice had the ball in the net late on but was offside both times.
Both teams had drawn their opening games, and the win puts Sweden on the verge of qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Switzerland’s preparations for the game were disrupted when eight players and 11 members of staff had to be isolated from the rest of the team on Sunday night and early Monday morning as a gastrointestinal illness swept through the team camp.
Monday’s training session was canceled but coach Nils Nielsen was able to field a nearly unchanged starting lineup, with only one affected player, defender Rahel Kiwic, moving to the bench.
