Italy have advanced to the semi-finals of the Women’s Euros for the first time in 28 years.
After the Lionesses secured a semi-final berth by defeating Sweden on penalties, Italy now stand between England and a third consecutive major tournament final.
While Sarina Wiegman’s side would be considered favorites, Italy’s impressive performance against Norway in the quarter-finals suggests underestimating them would be unwise.
Italy currently holds the 13th position in the Fifa world rankings, eight places below England, and has remained within the top 19 since Fifa initiated its women’s rankings in 2003.
The Lionesses and le Azzurre have clashed three times in the last decade. Wiegman’s team secured a 2-1 victory in the Arnold Clark Cup in February 2023, followed by a 5-1 triumph in a friendly 12 months later. In 2017, a friendly match between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw.
BBC Sport examines the potential challenges England’s opponents may present in Geneva on Tuesday.
Italy secured their place in the knockout stage by finishing second in Group B, behind reigning world champions Spain.
Their campaign commenced with a 1-0 victory against Belgium, followed by an 89th-minute equalizer conceded in a 1-1 draw with Portugal.
A 3-1 defeat by Spain on matchday three had little consequence, as Portugal failed to overcome Belgium.
Italy demonstrated superior play for a significant portion of their quarter-final match against Norway, squandering several opportunities before captain Cristiana Girelli broke the deadlock in the 50th minute.
Ada Hegerberg equalized for Norway shortly after missing a penalty for the second time this summer, but Girelli’s dramatic stoppage-time header secured a historic victory for the Italians.
Italy was among the four participants in the inaugural Women’s Euros finals in 1984 and has competed in every edition except the 1995 tournament.
However, their last semi-final appearance was in 1997, where they defeated Spain before losing to Germany in the final.
Their most notable performance at a World Cup occurred in 2019 in France, where Milena Bertolini’s team reached the quarter-finals after eliminating former runners-up China.
Italy failed to qualify for four consecutive World Cups between 2003 and 2015.
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Italy through to semi-finals with late winner
While the top division of women’s football in Italy was established in 1968, it is only in recent years that the game has turned fully professional and begun to experience exponential growth.
Following the Azzurre’s captivating quarter-final appearance at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the Italian Football Federation committed to professionalizing Serie A Femminile by the start of the 2022-23 season.
However, such a landmark moment would not have been possible without the groundwork laid by pioneers like Carolina Morace and Patrizia Panico.
Morace, an early superstar in women’s football, overcame sexism and institutional obstacles to lead Italy at six European Championships and the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991.
As the first player to score a hat-trick at a Women’s World Cup, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was Serie A’s top scorer for 11 consecutive seasons between 1987-88 and 1997-98.
Morace, who later became the first woman to coach a professional men’s team, was succeeded in the national team by Panico, Italy’s most capped player (204 appearances) and all-time leading goalscorer (107).
Although Italy only scored three goals in the group stages, they have scored first in each of their four matches in Switzerland.
Andrea Soncin’s team controlled possession in the first half against Norway, transitioning from defense to attack with remarkable speed.
England’s defense has already faced challenges from the pace of French and Swedish forwards, a concern that has persisted since the 2023 World Cup.
“Italy load the line. They do it really effectively, and the Norwegians just couldn’t deal with how they stretch the game,” former England defender Anita Asante observed on BBC One.
Italy prefers to maximize the width of the pitch. Against Norway, their wide players stayed close to the touchline, restricting makeshift left-back Guro Reiten’s ability to contribute to attacks. They may attempt to similarly pin back England full-backs Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood.
“Italy showed the fight, the hunger, and the belief. They’re also reflecting the growth of Italian women’s football,” Asante added.
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha noted Italy’s post-match celebrations.
“Italy were celebrating as if they’ve almost won it themselves, but that’s a reminder that there are so many different perceptions as you enter the tournament, and that’s important because they’ll be proud of that as a team and nation.
“Why can they not believe they can win one more game and play for the whole trophy?”
That said, Italy appeared to tire during the second half and were fortunate that Norway did not capitalize. Conversely, England required extra time and penalties to defeat Sweden and are concerned about an injury to captain Leah Williamson after she hobbled off.
“I just think we’re starting to see that lethargic side from Italy, as you would expect in the fourth game of this tournament,” former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie commented on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“A lot of players have started all the matches. You can understand why it would take its toll.”
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Girelli scores late winner for Italy against Norway
Captain and linchpin Girelli is impossible to overlook, having produced two excellent finishes against Norway.
The first was a deft touch to guide a fizzing low cross into the far corner, the second a well-placed header that glanced in off the underside of the crossbar.
At 35, she is nearing the end of her career, but her three goals in the tournament suggest she has more to offer.
“That’s why she has the reputation that she does,” said Corsie. “She’s been in the game a long time. She knows where the back of the net is.”
Club-mate Sofia Cantore, 10 years her junior, has also been a standout performer, providing both assists on Wednesday.
Winger Barbara Bonansea offers width and delivers dangerous crosses, while Roma’s Manuela Giugliano is a supreme midfield creator, having created five chances against Norway, more than anyone else on the pitch.
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