It was a heart-stopping finish in Switzerland. Italy’s women’s team found the perfect moment to break Norwegian hearts. A goal in the final minute, right at the 90-minute mark, sent Italy roaring into the European Championship semi-finals. They beat Norway 2-1 in a thrilling quarter-final match.
The hero of the day was veteran forward Cristiana Girelli. She had already shown her scoring touch against Portugal earlier in the tournament. On Wednesday, she scored both of Italy’s goals. Her first came in the 50th minute, opening the scoring. Then, just as the clock hit 90 minutes, she delivered a perfect header to clinch the win. Both of Girelli’s crucial goals came from great passes by Sofia Cantore, who also shined in the match.
The game wasn’t without its drama for Norway, especially for their star, Ada Hegerberg. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner had a chance to even the score from the penalty spot in the 60th minute, but she missed. However, she made up for it just six minutes later. A defensive mistake by Italy allowed Hegerberg to score, making the game 1-1. But even her goal wasn’t enough to save Norway’s tournament hopes.
Italy’s journey to the semi-finals has been a fight. In the group stage, they tied Portugal 1-1. They then beat Belgium 1-0. Their only loss came against the powerful Spanish team, falling 3-1. Reaching these semi-finals is a big deal for Italy. They haven’t been this far in the tournament since 1997. That year, they lost in the final. They also lost the final in 1993, playing at home against Norway. So, this victory felt like a sweet revenge after all these years.
Norway, on the other hand, had a perfect group stage, winning all three of their matches. But their road ends here. They haven’t reached the semi-finals since 2013, when they also lost in the final. They’ll have to wait even longer for their third European title, having won in 1987 and 1993.
Now, Italy waits to see who they will play next for a spot in the final. They will face the winner of Thursday’s match between Sweden and the current champions, England.