Latest news with #Elena Linari
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Italy celebrates after ending 28-year wait to return to Euro semifinals
Team unity helped Italy end its 28-year wait to reach the semifinals of the Women's European Championship, Italian midfielder Giada Greggi said after the team's 2-1 quarterfinal win over Norway. "I think the humility, the fact that we are a united group, showing our qualities, that's what made this important result, and we brought it home," Greggi, who came off the bench in the 77th minute of Wednesday's encounter, said. The raucous Italian crowd urged their players on, with chants of "forza Italia" and the Stade de Geneve lit up when Cristiana Girelli found the net twice in the second half, including with a 90th-minute winner. "There were a lot of emotions in that (second) goal," Greggi said. "It was the whole journey we took, the sacrifices we made and in the end we reached the semifinal. Defender Elena Linari said the 35-year-old Girelli was an inspiration for the team. "Now we're going to put Girelli in a display case to rest for the semifinal — she deserves it all, and she's such a huge inspiration for us," Linari said. It is the first time since 1997 that Italy has reached the semifinals at a European Championship. "It was achieved with effort and many sacrifices ... today we have shown that we can do very well," Greggi said. Before the match, Italy's coach asked his team to close their eyes and think back to the first time they had touched a soccer ball, Barbara Bonansea said. "The feeling I have now is exactly the same. The stadium was packed, the energy was incredible. This achievement fills my heart," she added.
Reuters
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Spain beat Italy 3-1 as both go through to Women's Euros quarter-finals
BERN, Switzerland, July 11 (Reuters) - Spain cruised to a 3-1 win over Italy on Friday that sees both sides through to the knockout stages at the Women's Euros, with the Spaniards topping Group B to set up a showdown with hosts Switzerland, while the second-placed Italians will meet Group A winners Norway. Spain finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games, with the Italians second on four points, one ahead of already-eliminated Belgium, who beat Portugal 2-1 to snuff out their chances of advancing. The swashbuckling football of the Spaniards has singled them out as the team to beat in Switzerland but once more they got off to a sluggish start before saving the day with some outstanding attacking play. The Italians almost took the lead in the 10th minute when captain Elena Linari smacked a powerful header off the crossbar and seconds later they did score through Elisabetta Oliviero. Italy worked the ball in from the left flank and Martina Piemonte found enough space to squeeze off a shot that Spain's Mariona Caldente tried to control, but she only succeeded in teeing up Oliviero to slam home the ball. That jolted Spain into life and they levelled four minutes later as the reigning world and Nations League champions began to dominate possession, Athenea del Castillo working the ball in from the right before playing a brilliant one-two in a tight space with Alexia Putellas and firing into the net. Patri Guijarro put Spain 2-1 up in the fourth minute of the second half and the Italians struggled to get out of their half for much of the rest of the game, with Esther Gonzalez sealing the deal for Spain with a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-1. Guijarro declared herself pleased with the business-like way Spain had secured the group win, even if there were things that could be improved. "I'm happy for the three victories. The match was difficult (but) we are first in the group and now let's go for the quarter-finals," she said. "They played very well. Those balls that we lost, there was a lot of space, so we have to run back as quickly as possible, we have to be more on top of the pressure after losing (the ball)." Spain will take on Switzerland in Bern next Friday, while Italy meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday.
