Latest news with #SofiaCantore
Fox News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
2025 Women's Euro: Girelli lifts Italy to semis over Hegerberg's Norway
On a night of goals and drama for two veteran star strikers, Cristiani Girelli got the better of Ada Hegerberg to send Italy into the semifinals of the 2025 Women's Euro on Wednesday. Girelli's 90th-minute header, completing her brace, sealed a 2-1 win over Norway, whose captain Hegerberg had tied the game after missing a penalty. The 35-year-old Girelli had seized the lead for Italy in the 50th by deftly guiding in a shot fired across the Norway goal by Sofia Cantore. Italy will return to Geneva next Tuesday to face either Sweden or England for its first Women's Euros semifinal since 1997. With extra-time looming, Girelli met Cantore's perfectly weighted cross with a graceful leap at the far post to direct her header just under the crossbar. Hegerberg leveled the score in the 66th with her first scoring chance just six minutes after missing a penalty kick for the second time at Euro 2025. Hegerberg ran clear to a long pass and poked a shot past onrushing goalkeeper Laura Giuliani. The slow-rolling ball just beat the Italian defenders in a race to the goal line. Girelli now has 61 goals for Italy and the last three all went into the same net at the mountains end of the Stade de Genève stadium. She also scored one of the goals of the tournament, curling in a 22-meter-yard shot against Portugal that shaped to be decisive in the group stage until Italy conceded an 89th-minute equalizer. It was Italy that finished strong in the first knockout round and no one more than Girelli. The Norway star has taken two penalty kicks at Euro 2025 and missed both, placing her two shots wide of each post. She also scored in each of those games. Hegerberg won this spot-kick by falling under a grappling challenge from Italy captain Elena Linari trying to meet a high cross. Replays suggested Hegerberg might have been offside. Taking a short and slow run to the ball, Hegerberg sent her shot wide of the left hand post of Guiliani, who guessed correctly which way to dive. The former Ballon d'Or winner also missed when Norway led 2-1 over Switzerland, shooting to the right of Livia Peng's dive, in an opening day win by that score. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Norway 1 Italy 2 – Cristiana Girelli's brace lifts Italy to first Euros semi-final in decades
Age is but a number. Italy relied on a mix of youth and experience to hold off Norway to advance to their first semi-final appearance since 1997. Cristiana Girelli, 35, scored two goals on the night, with both assisted by 25-year-old forward Sofia Cantore. Here are some of the key factors from the historic Euros quarter-final match… Cristiana Girelli's brace, both from the service of Washington Spirit-bound Sofia Cantore, proved a critical point that had been nagging Italy through the group stages: their inability to score more than one goal in a game. All three of their previous matches had amounted to one-goal results, and the remaining teams in this knockout group have all shown they can pile goals when needed. Advertisement The Cantore-Girelli combination on both goals demonstrates the best possible scenario when it comes to combining fresh, young talent and mature composure. On both Italy goals, Cantore's tenacity and precision on the ball set the table beautifully for a player of Girelli's caliber to finish — not a small feat on a big stage for a team seeking its first semi-final Euros appearance since 1997. Twice in this tournament now, former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg has sent a penalty kick wide of the goal. And twice now, she's redeemed herself emphatically with an open play goal. Less than six minutes after an awkward penalty call on Italian defender Linari for fouling Hegerberg in the box during a corner kick (Hegerberg was offside but her position was nullified by the foul because she never touched the ball), the 30-year-old star striker muscled her way through an Italian defense that had, up until that point, risen to the challenge of Norway's loaded attack. She squeezed a shot past goalkeeper Laura Giuliani to equalize. It was a cathartic goal for Hegerberg and her team, and a catalyst for the period that followed. After spending so much of the game on the back foot to Italy's directness, the roles reversed as Norway gained the upper hand. Hegerberg's goal aside, Norway's loss underscores yet again the confounding state of the team's attacking threat. Carolina Graham Hansen finding joy down the flanks is inevitable. Guro Reiten, even from her unfamiliar position as left full back, still managed to contribute to the attack as expected — and yet, there remains a gross disparity between this team's star power and the results. But the future of this team offered bright spots, particularly in the form of 20-year-old Signe Gaupset, who very much earned her way into Norway's starting XI with the two goals and two assists she's had this tournament. Norway's best chances in the first half came from her courageous play, a quality sorely missing across the squad. As they await the results of reigning European Champions England and their opponents, Sweden, Italy must feel buoyed by their defensive performance against some of the best individual talent in the world, and also their own resilience. Both semi-final match-up possibilities can score multiple goals from a variety of players; both are pacey. But Italy have grown into this tournament and have plenty of momentum to pull off another fantastic feat.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Italy set sights on bigger goals in Norway showdown at Women's Euro 2025
Italy forward Sofia Cantore in action during their 3-1 Euro 2025 Group B defeat by Spain at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern on July 11. – Italy are putting the euphoria of making the knockout stages of the Women's European Championship for the first time since 2013 to one side, aiming for even greater heights when they take on Norway in the quarter-finals in Geneva on July 16. The Italians lost their final Women's Euro 2025 Group B game to Spain, but managed to go through in second place – thanks to a 1-0 win over Belgium and a 1-1 draw with Portugal – to set up a meeting with the Norwegians, who won Group A with three wins out of three. 'The fact that we qualified in the quarter-finals gave us a lot of positive energy, (but) we immediately got back to work and we are preparing the game as we have prepared the others, taking care of every detail,' Italy forward Sofia Cantore said on July 14. 'Once you reach a small goal like this, you think about doing your best to reach another, so let's say there is maximum concentration for the next game. Beyond tactics, I think we should put in everything we have in our hearts.' After making it to the last four in six of the first seven Women's Euro, Italy have since struggled. But Emma Hayes, the former long-time Chelsea manager and current coach of the top-ranked United States, has called the Azzurre a team 'on the rise'. 'They (Norway) are a great team, they have very important personalities, and it will be important to be perfect tactically and then to hurt them where they will give us the space to hurt them,' Cantore said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Acute psychiatry services to be expanded across all healthcare clusters: MOH Singapore July BTO launch to have over 4,600 balance flats, 2 BTO projects with under than 3-year wait Singapore Baby died after mum took abortion pills and gave birth in toilet; coroner records an open verdict Life S'pore travel agency Beyond Expeditions criticised for planning, safety issues Business Tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter Kuok Hui Kwong appointed CEO of Shangri-La Asia Singapore Jail for drunk man who shoved stranger into Singapore River, causing him to drown Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction Singapore Asia-Pacific will need over 230k new pilots, 250k aircraft maintenance technicians by 2042: ICAO chief 'We have already shown during the whole competition... we have character as a team. It's important to show our character in these games, I think we have a lot of it and we'll show it,' she added. Italy coach Andrea Soncin, too, pointed to the team's character, saying there is a 'magical spirit' in his squad. He said: 'There's a magical spirit in this group, and the girls are mature – they know exactly how hard they fought in the past to earn their place, and how much we had to battle even to reach this small milestone.' 'We'll approach the next match the same way, because we want to keep chasing our dream. We know Norway well, and we believe we can keep moving forward by making the most of the resources we have – while also enjoying the moment,' he added. The last time the 13th-ranked Azzurre reached the last four was in 1997, when they finished runners-up to Germany. Norway are two-time champions and have reached the final six times, most recently in 2013, when they also lost to Germany in the final. But they have since slumped to 16th in the Fifa rankings after successive group-stage exits at the last two European Championships and a last-16 loss at the most recent World Cup in 2023. This despite having attacking players such as inaugural 2018 Ballon d'Or Feminin winner Ada Hegerberg, 2024 runner-up Caroline Graham Hansen as well as Frida Maanum and Guro Reiten. But a favourable group and a kind draw, which will see them avoid world champions Spain and an on-form France till the final, offer Norway a chance to improve on recent fortunes. Hegerberg and Graham Hansen, both 30, were youngsters during the 1-0 final loss to Germany in 2013. 'Me and Caro (Graham Hansen), we haven't talked a lot about that game when we were younger... But we talk about it today and we're like, damn it, we were one goal away from winning a Euro,' Hegerberg said on July 15. 'It was an incredible experience... Football has changed a lot, but, yeah, it's starting to become a long, long time ago , and we've experienced a whole deal after that .' Meanwhile, Switzerland's preparations for their quarter-final clash with Spain on July 18 were thrown into disarray when the team had to cancel a training session on July 15 due to sickness within the squad. Less than half an hour before the session was due to begin, the Swiss football association messaged media covering the team on WhatsApp to say that it had been cancelled. 'Today's planned training session has been postponed until tomorrow. The background: In the past few days, some players have felt the symptoms of a cold,' the message said. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Italy set sights on bigger goals in Norway showdown
OBERENTFELDEN, Switzerland - Italy are putting the euphoria of making the knockout stages of the Women's Euros for the first time since 2013 to one side and aiming for even greater heights when they take on Norway in the quarter-finals in Geneva on Wednesday. The Italians lost their final Group B game to Spain but managed to go through in second place thanks to a 1-0 win over Belgium and a 1-1 draw with Portugal to set up a meeting with the Norwegians, who won Group A with three wins out of three. "The fact that we qualified in the quarter-finals gave us a lot of positive energy, (but) we immediately got back to work and we are preparing the game as we have prepared the others, taking care of every detail," Italy forward Sofia Cantore told reporters on Monday. "Once you reach a small goal like this, you think about doing your best to reach another, so let's say there is maximum concentration for the next game and, beyond tactics, I think we should put in everything we have in our hearts." After making it to the last four in six of the first seven Women's Euro competitions, Italy have struggled to reach those heights since. "They (Norway) are a great team, they have very important personalities, and it will be important to be perfect tactically and then to hurt them where they will give us the space to hurt them," Cantore said. "We have already shown during the whole competition ... we have character as a team. It's important to show our character in these games, I think we have a lot of it and we'll show it," she added. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat
Reuters
6 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Italy set sights on bigger goals in Norway showdown
OBERENTFELDEN, Switzerland, July 14 (Reuters) - Italy are putting the euphoria of making the knockout stages of the Women's Euros for the first time since 2013 to one side and aiming for even greater heights when they take on Norway in the quarter-finals in Geneva on Wednesday. The Italians lost their final Group B game to Spain but managed to go through in second place thanks to a 1-0 win over Belgium and a 1-1 draw with Portugal to set up a meeting with the Norwegians, who won Group A with three wins out of three. "The fact that we qualified in the quarter-finals gave us a lot of positive energy, (but) we immediately got back to work and we are preparing the game as we have prepared the others, taking care of every detail," Italy forward Sofia Cantore told reporters on Monday. "Once you reach a small goal like this, you think about doing your best to reach another, so let's say there is maximum concentration for the next game and, beyond tactics, I think we should put in everything we have in our hearts." After making it to the last four in six of the first seven Women's Euro competitions, Italy have struggled to reach those heights since. "They (Norway) are a great team, they have very important personalities, and it will be important to be perfect tactically and then to hurt them where they will give us the space to hurt them," Cantore said. "We have already shown during the whole competition ... we have character as a team. It's important to show our character in these games, I think we have a lot of it and we'll show it," she added.
