Norway 1 Italy 2
July 17 – Under the stunning Geneva sunset, Italy’s veteran forward Cristiana Girelli headed home an 89th-minute winner to send Italy into their first Women’s Euro semi-final since 2013, dumping out a wasteful Norway side who had arrived with a perfect group record but left with little else.
The headlines will inevitably centre on Ada Hegerberg, whose second missed penalty of the tournament ultimately condemned Norway to an early exit. The Lyon striker later levelled the score with a well-taken goal but failed to shake off the psychological toll of her earlier miss – and minutes later skied a golden chance she’d usually bury.
Despite sweeping their group with three one-goal wins, Norway never looked entirely convincing. Against a hardened Italy side that had battled through a group featuring Spain, Portugal and Belgium, their flaws were finally exposed.
Italy started with more bite, Arianna Caruso weaving through defenders before firing just wide early on.
But the first half was defined more by hesitancy than flair. Hegerberg came closest for Norway in the 36th minute, misfiring after a late deflection disrupted her close-range shot. Then came Norway’s Signe Gaupset trying her luck from near halfway – ambitious, audacious, and just off target – summing up a cagey half that lacked cutting edge.
Italy found theirs just after the break. Girelli, 35 and brimming with experience, poached the opener in the 49th minute – slotting home a clinical finish from a pinpoint cross by Juventus club-mate Sofia Cantore. Italy briefly thought they’d doubled their lead through Cantore in a chaotic goalmouth scramble, but it was chalked off for offside in the build-up.
Then came the match’s all-important pinch point. With just over 30 minutes to go, a clumsy challenge by Italy’s Elena Linari on Hegerberg in the box handed Norway a route back into the game. Hegerberg already under scrutiny for a miss earlier in the group stage, stepped up amid deafening whistles – and skewed her effort wide – quite considerably so. Cue a stunned silence.
She made partial amends six minutes later, finishing calmly to level the score, but her muted reaction – no celebration, no emotion – told the story. A striker out of rhythm, out of luck, and increasingly out of time. A wild effort into the stands minutes later summed up how the striker was fighting more than just the Italian defence tonight in Geneva.
Norway’s Ingrid Engen nearly stole it in the 85th minute, curling just wide from distance, but the final word belonged to Italy.
Ahead of the match, Norway coach Gemma Grainger, spoke of Italy’s individual quality.
“Italy’s obvious strengths, for me, are the individuals they have; they have some very good individual players. From an attacking perspective, they are very forward-thinking and like to get a lot of numbers in the box when they attack.”
As if on cue, it was Italy’s talisman that came up with the goods once again. Cantore – again involved – sent in another teasing cross, and there was Girelli, unmarked and deadly, to head in off the crossbar.
The 89th-minute winner was met with the roaring the delight of the Italian fans, who made the Stade de Genève feel like it was in the heart of Rome all along.
Ahead of the match, Italy coach Andrea Soncin spoke of his team’s hunger to rise to the occasion. “There’s an incredible adrenaline – we can’t wait,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough and challenging match against a difficult opponent, but we have the awareness, the motivation, and the desire to reach the final four.”
In the end, it was that desire – and a touch of Italian grit – that proved decisive. While Norway wavered in moments of doubt, Italy stayed sharp, and it was their belief that lit the path to the semi-finals where they will meet either Sweden or England.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1752723255labto1752723255ofdlr1752723255owedi1752723255sni@g1752723255niwe.1752723255yrrah1752723255