Girelli Double Sends Italy To Euro 2025 Last Four As Hegerberg Misses Spot Kick

Jubilant Italy reached their first awesome women’s tourney semi-final since 1997 arsenic Cristiana Girelli’s 90th-minute header hit a Norway broadside who had seen their skipper Ada Hegerberg miss a important penalty earlier successful nan 2nd half.

Norway, managed by nan erstwhile Wales coach Gemma Grainger, were disappointing for nan first hr of nan title but appeared to beryllium nan stronger broadside successful nan second stages aft equalising done Hegerberg’s debased decorativeness successful normal play, earlier Girelli’s back-post header won nan crippled pinch her 2nd extremity of nan lucifer and sent nan Italians wild.

For some Norway and Italy this necktie had represented a priceless opportunity to scope a semi-final, aft nan tie successful December had been comparatively benignant to them. They had some been eliminated astatine nan group shape of nan 2017 and 2022 editions of nan Euros. They had some fixed their supporters origin for optimism during their group matches and knew nan heavyweight contenders were each successful action later this week successful nan different last-eight fixtures. Perhaps, pinch that, came a fewer nerves too.

Norway fans were surely successful nan number successful Geneva arsenic hopeful Italy fans flocked to nan stadium successful their bluish shirts and sang Il Canto degli Italiani, nan Italian nationalist anthem, pinch vigour and pride. Norway besides created nan number of nan first-half chances, arsenic nan Italians showed nan greater attacking endeavour successful what was mostly a cautious first 45 minutes.

An mean of 3.7 goals per crippled had been scored during nan group stages, nan highest ratio successful nan history of nan tournament, arsenic free-flowing attacking shot became nan norm, truthful possibly it was to beryllium expected that nan commencement of nan knockout rounds would present a goalless first 45 minutes, an constituent of caginess creeping into some side’s tactics.

Despite nan debased tempo Italy played immoderate neat football, going adjacent done Manuela Giugliano, Girelli’s attempted header and Lucia Di Guglielmo, while their energetic midfielder Emma Severini burst into nan punishment area but saw her changeable good saved by nan Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand.

Ada Hegerberg stares astatine nan level astatine afloat time. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

At nan different extremity Hegerberg could scarcely judge she had not scored erstwhile nan shot bounced up and deed her limb wrong nan six-yard box, earlier Signe Gaupset had nan Norwegians’ astir eager effort, trying her luck from 35 yards erstwhile she had spotted nan keeper disconnected her line. Her looping changeable dropped wide.

The Italians collapsed nan deadlock erstwhile Sofia Cantore’s goalbound changeable from nan correct broadside of nan container was angled into nan nett pinch nan gentlest of touches from Girelli, arsenic nan 35-year-old striker scored her 2nd extremity of nan tourney and sparked chaotic celebrations connected nan Italy chair and peculiarly for their exuberant coach, Andrea Soncin. Italy had nan momentum abruptly and Cantore thought she had doubled nan lead moments later but her scrambled effort was disallowed for offside. Soon nan crippled was seesawing arsenic Norway were awarded a punishment erstwhile Hegerberg was bundled down by Elena Linari.

Hegerberg, who had besides missed a spot footwear successful Norway’s opening Group D fixture against Switzerland, placed her effort harmlessly wide to nan bafflement of fans each astir nan world who had expected nan erstwhile Ballon d’Or victor to people and to nan dismay of nan Norway supporters straight down nan goal. They were soon smiling again, though, erstwhile Hegerberg redeemed herself by moving connected to Maren Mjelde’s agelong shot and tucking past Laura Giuliani, who had been excessively hesitant to travel disconnected her line. It was a precious equaliser for a Norway broadside who had been underwhelming for overmuch of nan game.

Norway began to turn successful assurance and were aided by nan preamble of Manchester United’s Elisabeth Terland from nan bench. They had a half-chance erstwhile Ingrid Engen coiled wide. But Italy were not to beryllium denied arsenic Cantore fired complete a lethal transverse from nan near flank that recovered an unmarked Girelli who headed past Fiskerstrand and group up a semi-final against either England aliases Sweden backmost present successful Geneva connected Tuesday.