Jubilant Italy reached their first major women’s tournament semi-final since 1997 as Cristiana Girelli’s 90th-minute header beat a Norway side who had seen their captain Ada Hegerberg miss a crucial penalty earlier in the second half.
Norway, managed by the former Wales coach Gemma Grainger, were disappointing for the first hour of the contest but appeared to be the stronger side in the latter stages after equalising through Hegerberg’s low finish in normal play, before Girelli’s back-post header won the game with her second goal of the match and sent the Italians wild.
For both Norway and Italy this tie had represented a priceless opportunity to reach a semi-final, after the draw in December had been relatively kind to them. They had both been eliminated at the group stage of the 2017 and 2022 editions of the Euros. They had both given their supporters cause for optimism during their group matches and knew the heavyweight contenders were all in action later this week in the other last-eight fixtures. Perhaps, with that, came a few nerves too.
Norway fans were certainly in the minority in Geneva as hopeful Italy fans flocked to the stadium in their blue shirts and sang Il Canto degli Italiani, the Italian national anthem, with vigour and pride. Norway also created the minority of the first-half chances, as the Italians showed the greater attacking endeavour in what was largely a cautious first 45 minutes.
An average of 3.7 goals per game had been scored during the group stages, the highest ratio in the history of the tournament, as free-flowing attacking football became the norm, so perhaps it was to be expected that the start of the knockout rounds would deliver a goalless first 45 minutes, an element of caginess creeping into both side’s tactics.
Despite the low tempo Italy played some neat football, going close through Manuela Giugliano, Girelli’s attempted header and Lucia Di Guglielmo, while their energetic midfielder Emma Severini burst into the penalty area but saw her shot well saved by the Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand.
At the other end Hegerberg could scarcely believe she had not scored when the ball bounced up and hit her leg inside the six-yard box, before Signe Gaupset had the Norwegians’ most ambitious effort, trying her luck from 35 yards when she had spotted the keeper off her line. Her looping shot dropped wide.
The Italians broke the deadlock when Sofia Cantore’s goalbound shot from the right side of the box was angled into the net with the gentlest of touches from Girelli, as the 35-year-old striker scored her second goal of the tournament and sparked wild celebrations on the Italy bench and particularly for their exuberant coach, Andrea Soncin. Italy had the momentum suddenly and Cantore thought she had doubled the lead moments later but her scrambled effort was disallowed for offside. Soon the game was seesawing as Norway were awarded a penalty when Hegerberg was bundled down by Elena Linari.
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Hegerberg, who had also missed a spot kick in Norway’s opening Group D fixture against Switzerland, placed her effort harmlessly wide to the bafflement of fans all around the world who had expected the former Ballon d’Or winner to score and to the dismay of the Norway supporters directly behind the goal. They were soon smiling again, though, when Hegerberg redeemed herself by running on to Maren Mjelde’s long ball and tucking past Laura Giuliani, who had been too hesitant to come off her line. It was a precious equaliser for a Norway side who had been underwhelming for much of the game.
Norway began to grow in confidence and were aided by the introduction of Manchester United’s Elisabeth Terland from the bench. They had a half-chance when Ingrid Engen curled wide. But Italy were not to be denied as Cantore fired over a lethal cross from the left flank that found an unmarked Girelli who headed past Fiskerstrand and set up a semi-final against either England or Sweden back here in Geneva on Tuesday.
