FOOTBALL – ITALY won their first match in the Women’s European Championship since 2017 as Arianna Caruso struck in the 44th minute to give them a 1-0 win over Belgium in their Group B opener yesterday.
Lucia Di Guglielmo’s quick pass from the right found Caruso unguarded just outside the box and the Bayern Munich midfielder calmly curled a right-footed shot away from keeper Lisa Lichtfus to find the net by the near post.
“It was what we wanted, the first match is always complicated,” coach Andrea Soncin said after Italy made their first winning start in the tournament since 2009.
“We can definitely improve and we must if we want to continue to grow, but I am happy with the attitude we showed.”
Player of the match Caruso probed the Belgian defence with multiple attempts in the first 20 minutes, after the match began with a minute’s silence following the death of Portuguese national men’s team striker Diogo Jota in a car accident.
Belgium had more of the ball in the first half and made 10 attempts, two more than Italy, but failed to take the lead when Mariam Toloba shot wide in the 26th minute and Tessa Wullaert missed the target from close range four minutes before Caruso’s goal.
Lichtfus’s quick reflexes saved Cristiana Girelli’s close range back-flick in the 64th minute to keep Belgium in the game, but the 2022 quarter-finalists were unable to find an equaliser as Italy comfortably held on to ensure victory.
l Spain striker Esther Gonzalez scored twice in the first half as her side powered to a 5-0 win over Portugal at the Women’s Euros that was overshadowed by the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident.
The Portuguese team shipped the first of four first-half goals in the second minute, with Gonwzalez scoring twice for the reigning world and Nations League champions, and Vicky Gonzalez and Alexia Putellas adding the other two.
Portugal showed more composure in the second half but they were no match for Spain’s power, precision and technique and, though they held Spain at bay for most of the second half, Cristina Martin-Prieto scored with a superb late header to complete the rout.
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