Women’s Euros: Girelli lifts Italy over Hegerberg’s Norway into semifinals

Geneva: On a night of goals and drama for two veteran star strikers, Cristiana Girelli got the better of Ada Hegerberg to send Italy into the semifinals of the Women’s European Championship.

Girelli’s 90th-minute header, her second goal of the game, sealed a 2-1 win over Norway, whose captain Hegerberg had tied the game after missing a penalty.

Italy will return to Geneva next Tuesday to face either Sweden or England for their first Women’s Euros semifinal since 1997.

“It’s something magical. I felt something special since we came to Switzerland,” the 35-year-old Girelli said

She had seized the lead for Italy in the 50th by deftly guiding in a shot fired across the Norway goal by Sofia Cantore.

With extra time looming, Girelli met Cantore’s perfectly weighted cross with a graceful leap at the far post to direct her header just under the crossbar.

“The joy is huge. My heart is full of pride,” said Italy coach Andrea Soncin, who joined his players and staff in a euphoric post-game team photo in front of their fans who got close-up views of Girelli’s goals.

Hegerberg leveled the score in the 66th with her first scoring chance just six minutes after missing a penalty kick for the second time at Euro 2025.

Hegerberg ran clear to a long pass and poked a shot past onrushing goalkeeper Laura Giuliani. The slow-rolling ball just beat the Italian defenders in a race to the goal line.

“She gets the goal after the (penalty) miss, that tells a lot about her,” Norway coach Gemma Grainger said. “It’s heartbreaking to concede so late, it taints the feeling of the game.”

Girelli now has 61 goals for Italy and the last three all went into the same net at the mountains end of the Stade de Genève stadium. She also scored one of the goals of the tournament, curling in a 22-metre yard shot against Portugal that shaped to be decisive in the group stage until Italy conceded an 89th-minute equaliser.