Italy qualified for the semi-finals of the European Women’s Football Championship in Switzerland on Wednesday. The Southern European country won a thrilling match against Norway: 1-2. Cristiana Girelli scored both Italian goals.
Before half-time, tension reigned in Stade de Genève. Italy was the better team and forced some chances, but did not score.
In the second half, coach Andrea Soncin’s team struck. The Italian women smoothly played their way through the Norwegian defence, after which Girelli tapped the ball in on a pass from Sofia Cantore: 0-1.
That was the signal for Norway to come out of its shell. That earned Gemma Grainger’s team a penalty.
Star player Ada Hegerberg stood behind the ball, but shot it wide. She also did that earlier in the tournament against Switzerland.
Hegerberg scores anyway, but Italy has the last laugh
A little later, Hegerberg was able to make amends. The thirty-year-old attacker worked the ball behind keeper Laura Giuliani on a pass from Maren Mjelde: 1-1.
The match was heading for extra time, but in the final phase the Italian women came out on top. Girelli headed the ball in under the crossbar and scored her second goal of the evening: 1-2. Again Cantore got the assist behind her name.
Italy thus qualified for the semi-finals. There, the Southern European country will face the winner of the quarter-final between Sweden and Sarina Wiegman’s England. The other quarter-finals are Spain-Switzerland and France-Germany.