Cristiana Girelli`s two crucial goals in the second half were instrumental in propelling the Italian Women`s national team into the Euro semi-finals, following their decisive 2-1 triumph over Norway.
The first half of the intensely contested match concluded without a goal. However, the deadlock was broken by two strikes from Juventus forward Girelli, which ultimately determined the outcome of the game, despite a strong equalizer from Ada Hegerberg, the acclaimed 2018 Ballon d’Or winner.
Italy Reaches Semifinals for First Time Since 1997
Girelli`s stellar performance, marked by her brace, ensures Italy`s progression to the Women`s Euro semi-finals for the first time since the 1997 edition of the tournament. In that competition, which was jointly hosted by Sweden and Norway, Italy impressively finished as runners-up.
Since their 1997 achievement, the Italian team has struggled to advance beyond the quarter-finals in subsequent tournaments. Notably, they faced group stage eliminations in both the 2017 and 2022 editions of the competition.
Italy`s hard-fought victory this evening was thoroughly deserved. They dominated the game, concluding with superior possession, a higher number of completed passes, and more shots on target. The decisive moment came in the 90th minute when Girelli expertly sealed the win.
As a well-earned reward for their success today, Italy is set to compete in a semi-final match on July 22, where they will face either Sweden or England.
