Italy banish old ghosts to make Women's Euro quarter-finals
Italy may have suffered a 3-1 defeat in their final Women's Euros Group B game against Spain on Friday, but the result still allowed them to progress to the knockout stage of the competition, prompting tears of joy from coach Andrea Soncin.
A 1-0 win over Belgium seemed to get the tournament off to a perfect start for the Azzurre but a 1-1 draw with Portugal in their second game, with Spain still to play, made for a few nervous days in the Italian camp.
In the end, Portugal were beaten 2-1 by Belgium, allowing the Italians to finish second on four points and set up a meeting with Group A winners Norway in Geneva next Wednesday.
"It is an indescribable emotion, sorry, because I don't even know what words to use. It's something magical, this is the passion we all put into it," a tearful Soncin told Italian broadcaster RAI.
"We wanted to write the story, we are doing it, our dream continues because we want to stay here in Switzerland for a long time."
Soncin's side took the lead in the 10th minute but they were then dominated by Spain for the remainder of the contest, unable to build any threatening attacks with the precious little possession they managed.
"There is so much joy, so much emotion. The credit goes entirely to the girls, because after the draw with Portugal it wasn't easy to pick ourselves back up," Soncin explained.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore ST will have Govt's 'full confidence and support' in its mission: PM Wong
Singapore ST will aim to become an indispensable partner to S'pore's communities: Editor Jaime Ho
Singapore Wishes for ST beyond 180: Odes to its enduring role in the Singapore story
Singapore Heartbeats & Headlines: ST's 180-year legacy comes to life in immersive exhibition
Singapore Trusted news, smarter experience with new Straits Times website and app
Singapore Community space Stranger Conversations blossoms as 'library of human stories' and life experiences
Singapore Man who killed 5-year-old daughter gets life sentence after he appeals against 35-year jail term
Singapore Judge declines to void alleged sham marriage in S'pore, says it is for Parliament to decide
"Many ghosts from the past had emerged but, as they have done for the past two years with me, they immediately pushed them aside."
Italy goal-scorer Elisabetta Oliviero summed up her side's qualification for the last eight in poetic terms.
"We believed despite the defeat. I think it is the most beautiful defeat of my life," she said. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
36 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Two men who chopped down iconic UK tree to be sentenced
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Efforts are under way to see if it can be regrown from its stump or seeds. LONDON - Two men guilty of the 'deliberate and mindless' felling of one of the UK's most iconic trees, sparking national outrage, will find out on July 15 if they are to be jailed. A jury at Newcastle Crown Court in May found former friends Daniel Graham and Mr Adam Carruthers guilty of criminal damage for the 2023 felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap . It had stood for nearly 200 years next to Hadrian's Wall , a Unesco World Heritage site in northern England. The tree was so striking it featured in the 1991 Hollywood film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'. They were convicted on two counts of criminal damage: to the sycamore and to the Roman wall, which was damaged when the tree fell on it. They will be sentenced at the same court on July 15, and face a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail. The hearing is due to start at 11am (6pm Singapore time). Reacting to the guilty verdict, the National Trust conservation body said the 'needless felling' of the tree had 'shocked people around the country and overseas'. 'It was felt particularly deeply here in the north east of England where the tree was an emblem of the region and the backdrop to many personal memories,' said a spokesperson. 'Moronic mission' The pair drove to the site near Hexham in Graham's Range Rover and felled the tree on the night of Sept 27, 2023, slicing through the trunk with a chainsaw in 'a matter of minutes', said prosecutor Richard Wright. 'Having completed their moronic mission, the pair got back into the Range Rover and travelled back towards Carlisle' where they lived, he added. The pair were jointly charged with causing £622,191 (S$1.07 million) of criminal damage to the tree and £1,144 of damage to Hadrian's Wall, an ancient Roman fortification stretching from northwest to north-east England. The sycamore was a symbol of north-east England and a key attraction photographed by millions of visitors over the years, winning the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year in 2016. Efforts are under way to see if it can be regrown from its stump or seeds. The National Trust, which owns the wall and the tree, said it has grown 49 saplings from the sycamore's seeds, which will be planted this winter at sites across the UK. An over 2m piece of the felled tree now forms the centrepiece of an art installation on permanent display at a visitor centre near where it stood. People can see and touch part of the trunk, and 'can once again gather, sit, and reflect', according to the visitor centre. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Australia PM Albanese to discuss trade, security in meeting with China's Xi
Find out what's new on ST website and app. BEIJING - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Tuesday, where he said resources trade, energy transition and security tensions are key topics for discussion. Albanese is due to meet Xi ahead of an annual leaders dialogue with Li, and later attend a business roundtable at the Great Hall of the People. Albanese said on Monday he looked forward to a "constructive dialogue" with the Chinese leaders. Australia, which regards the United States its major security ally, has pursued a China policy of "cooperate where we can, disagree where we must" under Albanese. Australia has expressed concern at China's military build-up and the jailing of an Australian writer, while Beijing has criticised Canberra's increased screening of foreign investment in critical minerals and Albanese's pledge to return a Chinese-leased port to Australian ownership. Chinese state media outlet Xinhua said the relationship between the two countries, which have complementary economies, was steadily improving. Australia's exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese has traveled with executives from mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue, who met with Chinese steel industry officials on Monday, as part of a six-day visit. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? World Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil Singapore Turning tragedy into advocacy: Woman finds new purpose after paralysis Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Sport World Aquatics C'ship women's 10km open water swimming event delayed by a day due to water quality Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Ex-cop charged after he allegedly went on MHA portal, unlawfully shared info with man Bran Black, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, said Australia's Bluescope Steel will also be at Tuesday's business roundtable, along with China's electric vehicle giant BYD, Chinese banking executives, Baosteel and COFCO. "First and foremost we use fixtures such as this to send a signal that business-to-business engagement should be welcomed and encouraged," Black told Reuters on Tuesday. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Flag football to make primetime Olympic debut at LA28
Find out what's new on ST website and app. LOS ANGELES - Flag football will take center stage during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, after organizers confirmed the sport's medal matches will be held in primetime slots in its first-ever Olympic appearance. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF), in partnership with the National Football League (NFL), announced on Monday that the men's and women's medal games are scheduled for Friday evening, July 21, and Saturday afternoon, July 22, at BMO Stadium near downtown Los Angeles. The announcement comes as senior IFAF and NFL delegations visit Los Angeles for the first official meetings with Games organizers, marking exactly three years to the day before the LA28 Opening Ceremony. "Flag football will definitely be a hot ticket at the Games," IFAF President Pierre Trochet told Reuters on Monday. "We're going to be at a great stadium right in the heart of the city and we're going to have fantastic players on the field with NFL players available." Flag football is a non-contact variation of American football in which players wear flags attached to their waists. Instead of tackling, defensive players must remove a flag from the ball carrier to end a play. The sport is played on a smaller field with fewer players per side. The inclusion of flag football in LA28 follows a vote by NFL owners allowing NFL players to participate in the Olympic competition. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore Turning tragedy into advocacy: Woman finds new purpose after paralysis Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Ex-cop charged after he allegedly went on MHA portal, unlawfully shared info with man Trochet said the primetime scheduling was a clear statement of a shared ambition to ensure flag football contributes a "defining element" of LA28's success. Organizers hope to capture the excitement of "Friday Night Lights," a cherished American tradition, and generate iconic moments for the sport's Olympic launch. "We could not dream of a better setup to start our debut in the Olympic movement and Olympic journey," he said. The IFAF delegation, including managing director Andy Fuller and senior NFL executives, is set to tour Exposition Park and other venues over a three-day visit. The group will also meet with key LA28 organizing committee members and attend the launch of a new NFL flag football brand campaign, which features Olympic gymnastics champion Jordan Chiles and flag football athletes from Australia and the U.S. REUTERS
