Women’s Italy makes 1-1 with Spain

Spain are one of the big favorites for the victory of the European Championship starting next Wednesday in England. The Italy of the girls from today professional, in the last friendly before taking off, suffered a lot but equalized us. In Castel di Sangro, good signs for the coach Milena Bertolini from 1-1 against the Red Furies. The National team did well to choose top opponents, to understand what kind of path to expect: Sunday 10, in Rotherham, the debut against France, which is on the level of the Spanish so that the final of the last Champions League was between Barcelona and Lyon.

national determined

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The blaugrana champions, defeated a month ago in Turin, were returning to Italy for the first time after that knockout: at the Patini stadium, the one that belonged to the “Castel di Sangro miracle”, they found an Italy that knew how to defend and did well to find the goal with Valentina Bergamaschi on one of the rare occasions, before the draw for the golden ball Alexia. “In order to improve we must confront the strong – the words of coach Milena Bertolini -. A game of great sacrifice: there were important indications and things to improve, but this result must give us conviction”. Four days ago, Italy and Spain had also faced each other at the Under 19 level, in the European Championship in the Czech Republic: the Spaniards had won 3-1, but Italy, which yesterday drew with France, can still hope for the semifinal.

first half

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Without captain Gama, kept out as a precaution (small knee problem, don’t worry), Bertolini lined up Italy with a 4-3-3: Cernoia, Giugliano and Caruso in the middle, Bergamaschi high on the right with Girelli and Bonansea a complete the trident. Spain, with an ultra offensive 4-3-3 (Bonmati and Alexia in the midfield trio, are in fact added forwards), started better, closing Italy in their own half at the start and in their own 30 meters with the minutes pass. Italy that has agreed to leave the (sometimes even exaggerated) ball possession of the Spaniards, showing however an enviable ability to parry shots. Inevitable, initially experienced undergoing the forcing of Spain, risking going behind: Alexia (11 ‘) served by Ona put the ball out a little, then Mariona’s cross-shot from outside the area in the 29th minute ended. to the side a few centimeters from Giuliani’s door. Italy had a few minimal opportunities on the counterattack, but nothing more.

question and answer

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Upon returning from the locker rooms, Simonetti and Giacinti in place of Caruso and Bonansea: in Spain, Ivana for Mapi Leon. Not even three minutes and the game was released in favor of Italy, almost suddenly: corner of Cernoia and perfect insertion of Bergamaschi, who put the ball in the corner to the left of Panos. Spain’s reaction was immediate, but Giuliani was very good at closing the mirror on Alexia. After the entry of Galli for Cernoia and Piedmont for Girelli, another danger for the blue, with Giuliani saved from the crossbar on the right by the edge of Patri: perhaps an imperceptible deviation by the Milan goalkeeper, still decisive on Alexia, before the equalizer arrived at 67 ‘with a header on the near post by Alexia (today 100th presence with Spain) that anticipated Bartoli. In the end, also thanks to the heat and fatigue, the pace dropped. And the head, inevitably, went to England.

contracts

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On the day of the beginning of the era of professionalism, the first two contracts arrived in via Allegri. Juventus deposited them – that of Sofia Cantore, who returned from loans with Verona, Florentia and Sassuolo and who signed up to 2025 – and Fiorentina, that of Daniela Sabatino. From the beginning of next week all the others will begin to arrive, even those of the players of the national team who will try to make a nation fall in love, as happened in the 2019 World Cup.