Women’s Italy eliminated from the European Championships: Belgium wins 1-0 and goes to the quarterfinals

Game over. The European women’s national team is already over. Against Belgium, in Manchester, a victory joined to that of France against Iceland was needed. If the French drew (1-1), Italy lost 1-0 and returned home with the meager tally of one point in three games. If the 2017 European Championship ended after a group with Germany and Sweden (in addition to Russia), the biggest regret is that this group dominated by France was within the reach of Italy, which instead arrived in England with too many players not at the top. 100% and paid a mental fragility probably caused by the nightmare debut with France. The first season with professional women’s football could and should have started in a better way, especially for what were the premises and for how Italy looked after the 2019 World Cup.

FIRST HALF

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Bertolini, in the end, started without Sara Gama, the captain and leader of this national team: three quarters of defense of Roma (Di Guglielmo, Bartoli, Linari) plus Boattin. Rosucci in front of the defense in the blue 4-1-4-1, with Bergamaschi, Giugliano, Simonetti and Bonansea and only Girelli (captain) in front. In Belgium, De Neve out in defense, Tysiak disqualified, with Serneels behind Biesmans, a midfielder, alongside Kees. Girelli’s first shot after 50 seconds, defused by Evrard. The news of France’s immediate advantage over Iceland arrived on the pitch, but Linari’s mistake shortly afterwards favored Eurlings: the lob of the very young Belgian (2003) ended up high. At 18 ‘Giugliano tried, after an action that began with Bergamaschi’s cross from the right: the right of the Roma director went off over the crossbar. The game, however, did not take off, with Italy that seemed blocked and Belgium that it was good to keep a pace that was anything but frantic. Bertolini tried to change the exteriors: Bonansea on the right, Bergamaschi on the left. Just Bonansea, served by Giugliano, kicked diagonally, finding Evrard’s deviation not seen by the referee.

SHOOTING

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At the beginning of the second half an offensive move immediately, with Bonfantini (a forward) in place of Di Guglielmo, a defender, with Bergamaschi back. But on the first occasion of the restart, Belgium hit, again on an inactive ball as happened against Iceland and again for a delay on the second balls: this time, on a free kick, neither Girelli, nor Bonansea and nor Giugliano managed to away the ball, Philtjens anticipated Rosucci and De Caigny was very good at putting in the net with a left foot. Italy’s reaction was immediate: Bonfantini’s lunge, Girelli’s ball on the foot and right placed on the crossbar. Other changes for Italy, with Caruso in place of Rosucci and, in the 68th minute, Giacinti for Simonetti. Just Giacinti, ten minutes later, received the ball from Bonfantini and with a right deflected by Kees went one step away from equalization. Moves of despair: the debut of Cernoia (returned available after Covid) in place of Bergamaschi and Sabatino for Girelli. But nothing to do, indeed Belgium hit a post with Wullaert. We will see the quarter-finals, starting on Wednesday with England-Spain, from home. There is a month and a half to reset: in September you have to go to the World Cup.