Girelli scores twice as Italy book semi-final spot at Norway's expense

Italy have qualified for their first European semi-final since 1997 as Cristiana Girelli scored twice in a dramatic 2-1 win over Norway.

The 35-year-old stepped up to deliver for her country once again, surviving a VAR review to tap home the opener before heading a last-gasp winner to set up a meeting with either England or Sweden, who play in Zurich on Thursday, in the last four.

“It’s incredible, beautiful. In front of all these people, so many messages arrived from Italy the last few days,” elated Italy coach Andrea Soncin said.

“It’s something fantastic. I think this is the biggest gift we can give to all those who watch us, to all those little girls, those young women who live football with passion.”

Sandwiched between Girelli’s double were two key moments for Norway’s iconic striker, Ada Hegerberg, who squandered her second penalty of these finals, sweeping wide of the target.

Atonement arrived six minutes later, levelling the tie, but the earlier spot-kick miss came back to bite.

“It’s bitter, it’s really bitter,” Hegerberg reflected. “I must honestly say that I am proud of the group and how we have performed. We are close to being in the top four in Europe, but it’s not enough.”

Norway have always been a nearly team at major tournaments. They were far too passive on the night, defensively disorganised, and failed to deal with Italy’s threat from wide.

Both of Italy’s goals were created in the channels by Sofia Cantore, with Girelli’s 90th-minute winner testament to the veteran striker’s immense aerial ability, meeting a perfectly weighted cross with a graceful leap to direct her header just under the crossbar.

Girelli – the oldest player to score more than once for a European nation in a single match at a major tournament – now has 61 goals for Italy, and the last three all went into the same net at the mountains end of the Stade de Geneve stadium.