Latest news with #ElenaLinari
Observer
a day ago
- Sport
- Observer
Spain beat Italy 3-1 as both qualify for quarters
BERN, Switzerland: Spain cruised to a 3-1 win over Italy on Friday that sees both sides through to the knockout stages at the Women's Euros, with the Spaniards topping Group B to set up a showdown with hosts Switzerland, while the second-placed Italians will meet Group A winners Norway. Spain finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games, with the Italians second on four points, one ahead of already-eliminated Belgium, who beat Portugal 2-1 to snuff out their chances of advancing. The swashbuckling football of the Spaniards has singled them out as the team to beat in Switzerland but once more they got off to a sluggish start before saving the day with some outstanding attacking play. The Italians almost took the lead in the 10th minute when captain Elena Linari smacked a powerful header off the crossbar and seconds later they did score through Elisabetta Oliviero. Italy worked the ball in from the left flank and Martina Piemonte found enough space to squeeze off a shot that Spain's Mariona Caldente tried to control, but she only succeeded in teeing up Oliviero to slam home the ball. That jolted Spain into life and they levelled four minutes later as the reigning world and Nations League champions began to dominate possession, Athenea del Castillo working the ball in from the right before playing a brilliant one-two in a tight space with Alexia Putellas and firing into the net. Patri Guijarro put Spain 2-1 up in the fourth minute of the second half and the Italians struggled to get out of their half for much of the rest of the game, with Esther Gonzalez sealing the deal for Spain with a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-1. Guijarro declared herself pleased with the business-like way Spain had secured the group win, even if there were things that could be improved. "I'm happy for the three victories. The match was difficult (but) we are first in the group and now let's go for the quarter-finals," she said. "They played very well. Those balls that we lost, there was a lot of space, so we have to run back as quickly as possible, we have to be more on top of the pressure after losing (the ball)." Spain will take on Switzerland in Bern next Friday, while Italy meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday. — Reuters
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Spain beat Italy 3-1 as both go through to Women's Euros quarter-finals
BERN, Switzerland: Spain cruised to a 3-1 win over Italy on Friday that sees both sides through to the knockout stages at the Women's Euros, with the Spaniards topping Group B to set up a showdown with hosts Switzerland, while the second-placed Italians will meet Group A winners Norway. Spain finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games, with the Italians second on four points, one ahead of already-eliminated Belgium, who beat Portugal 2-1 to snuff out their chances of advancing. The swashbuckling football of the Spaniards has singled them out as the team to beat in Switzerland but once more they got off to a sluggish start before saving the day with some outstanding attacking play. The Italians almost took the lead in the 10th minute when captain Elena Linari smacked a powerful header off the crossbar and seconds later they did score through Elisabetta Oliviero. Italy worked the ball in from the left flank and Martina Piemonte found enough space to squeeze off a shot that Spain's Mariona Caldente tried to control, but she only succeeded in teeing up Oliviero to slam home the ball. That jolted Spain into life and they levelled four minutes later as the reigning world and Nations League champions began to dominate possession, Athenea del Castillo working the ball in from the right before playing a brilliant one-two in a tight space with Alexia Putellas and firing into the net. Patri Guijarro put Spain 2-1 up in the fourth minute of the second half and the Italians struggled to get out of their half for much of the rest of the game, with Esther Gonzalez sealing the deal for Spain with a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-1. Guijarro declared herself pleased with the business-like way Spain had secured the group win, even if there were things that could be improved. "I'm happy for the three victories. The match was difficult (but) we are first in the group and now let's go for the quarter-finals," she said. "They played very well. Those balls that we lost, there was a lot of space, so we have to run back as quickly as possible, we have to be more on top of the pressure after losing (the ball)."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Spain cruise into women's Euros quarter-finals
Spain have cruised into the knockout stages of the women's Euros with a 3-1 win over Italy, a result that advanced both teams to the quarter-finals. Friday's win took the Spaniards top of Group B and they will now meet hosts Switzerland, while the second-placed Italians meet Group A winners Norway. Spain finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games, with the Italians second on four points, one ahead of already-eliminated Belgium, who beat Portugal 2-1 to snuff out their chances of advancing. The swashbuckling football of the Spaniards has singled them out as the team to beat in Switzerland but once more they got off to a sluggish start before saving the day with some outstanding attacking play. The Italians almost took the lead in the 10th minute when captain Elena Linari smacked a powerful header off the crossbar and seconds later they did score through Elisabetta Oliviero. Italy worked the ball in from the left flank and Martina Piemonte found enough space to squeeze off a shot that Spain's Mariona Caldente tried to control, but she only succeeded in teeing up Oliviero to slam home the ball. That jolted Spain into life and they levelled four minutes later as the reigning world and Nations League champions began to dominate possession, Athenea del Castillo working the ball in from the right before playing a brilliant one-two in a tight space with Alexia Putellas and firing into the net. Patri Guijarro put Spain 2-1 up in the fourth minute of the second half and the Italians struggled to get out of their half for much of the rest of the game, with Esther Gonzalez sealing the deal for Spain with a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-1. Guijarro declared herself pleased with the business-like way Spain had secured the group win, even if there were things that could be improved. "I'm happy for the three victories. The match was difficult (but) we are first in the group and now let's go for the quarter-finals," she said. Spain will take on Switzerland in Bern next Friday, while Italy meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday. In Sion, Belgium's Tessa Wullaert and Janice Cayman struck in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Portugal in their final Group B game at Euro 2025 that extinguished the Portuguese team's dreams of advancing to their first European knockout round. Belgium, who had already been eliminated from quarter-final contention before kick-off, finished third in Group B, while Portugal, who needed a win to advance, were fourth. Belgium, who had two goals disallowed after VAR checks, had a dream start as Wullaert scored in the third minute after Jill Janssens raced down the right flank before slotting a low cross to the captain. Wullaert steered her shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Patricia Morais. The Belgians, quarter-finalists in 2022, held strong under an onslaught of desperate Portuguese attacks until Telma Encarnacao bagged an equaliser in the 87th minute to breathe some hope into the Portuguese side. But Cayman sealed Belgium's victory with a 96th-minute goal that happened largely thanks to terrible Portugal defending, when she pounced on a loose ball and fired home. Belgium's Mariam Toloba and Amber Tysiak both had goals disallowed in a roller-coaster second half, Toloba for a foul in the build-up and Tysiak for offside. In Sion, Belgium lost midfielder Jassina Blom, who was carried off on a stretcher in the first half with an apparent knee injury and reappeared later on crutches.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ouahabi helps Spain seal top spot in Group B at Euro 2025
City defender Leila Ouahabi played the full 90 minutes to help ensure Spain topped their Group B campaign at Euro 2025 thanks to a 3-1 win over Italy in Berne. In what proved one of the most absorbing and eventful games of the Switzerland showpiece to date, Italy were the first to threaten, mounting a series of early raids before captain Elena Linari saw a powerful eighth minute header cannon back off the Spanish crossbar. Advertisement But two minutes later the Italians did make the breakthrough. Spain failed to clear a low cross into the area and Italian winger Elisabetta Oliviero was first to react, slamming a low left-footed shot past Adriana Nanclares. In what was an end-to-end opening spell, the world champions then showed their class and composure by responding in thrilling style to draw level on 13 minutes. Athenea del Castillo executed a superb run through a sea of Italian defenders before playing a one-two with Alexia Putellas who then played an instant deft backheel to set up del Castillo. The Real Madrid star made the most of the opening, firing home first time from the edge of the box in sumptuous style for one of the standout goals of the tournament to date. Advertisement In a high quality and compelling affair, Spain dominated possession and territory but found Italy the toughest of opponents. And the Spanish were then fortunate to escape conceding a penalty three minutes from half-time. A low cross from Sofia Castore was misjudged by Irene Paredes who could only clear the ball with her hand when attempting to head clear in the centre of the box only for a VAR check to rule Italy were fractionally offside in the build-up. However, the world champions provided another reminder of their lethal quality four minutes after the restart when they took the lead through Patricia Guijarro after a mazy run from Athenea del Castillo had caused panic in the Italian ranks. Advertisement Italy kept pushing as they sought a leveller, but Spain sealed the deal - and with it top spot - two minutes into stoppage time. Substitute Esther Gonzalez converted from close range shortly after coming on as she latched onto another sumptuous Putellas assist to take her tally at Euro 2025 to four goals. It took Spain's number of goals at the tournament to 14, the joint highest tally by a side in the group stages along with England at Euro 2022. Spain's reward for finishing top is a quarter-final assignment with Switzerland in Berne, runners-up Italy will play Norway in Geneva.
2 days ago
- Sport
Euro 2025: Unbeaten Spain overcomes Italy which also advances to quarterfinals
BERN, Switzerland -- Tournament favorite Spain came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 and sweep through Group B at the Women's European Championship on Friday. Italy lost but also advanced to the quarterfinals. Italy had the audacity to take a 10th-minute lead against the 2023 World Cup champion on defender Elisabetta Oliviero's shot, soon after captain Elena Linari struck the crossbar with a header. Spain leveled within four minutes, led from the 49th, and added Esther González's tournament-leading fourth goal in stoppage time. Still, Spain had enough problems in defense handling the Italians, who had 13 attempts on goal, to give host Switzerland some hope for their quarterfinal in one week. Italy finished runner-up to Spain in the group because Portugal, which was third in the standings at the start of play, lost to Belgium 2-1 when needing a lopsided win. Norway awaits Italy in the first quarterfinal on Wednesday in Geneva, and it will be Spain-Switzerland two days later in Bern. Spain's first two goals were created by the skipping feet and dribbling runs of winger Athenea del Castillo. She leveled in the 14th, finishing a move she started with a right-foot shot curled into the top corner. After Del Castillo's driving run across the face of the Italian defense in the 49th, the ball sat up for Patri Guijarro to snap a shot low into the bottom corner. Spain gave a first start at Euro 2025 to Aitana Bonmatí, two weeks since the two-time Ballon d'Or winner was hospitalized by viral meningitis. By scoring three goals on Friday, after a 5-0 win against Portugal and 6-2 against Belgium, Spain tied England's tournament record of 14 in a group set at Euro 2022. England went on to win the title. Spain rested some regular starters ahead of the quarterfinals including both defenders who are one yellow card away from a suspension, Laia Aleixandri and Ona Batlle. Teenage star Vicky López, González and Clàudia Pina also were rested, making space for Bonmatí to get more game time before the knockout stage. Spain gifted Italy its short-lived lead when a heavy touch by forward Mariona Caldentey in her own penalty area simply teed up the ball for Oliviero. The Italian right back had time and space to pick her spot for a shot that beat goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares. Spain was level within four minutes. Alexia Putellas' third assist — tying the tournament lead — was a smart back-heel flick returning the ball into the path of hard-running del Castillo. Spain might have fallen behind again before halftime but a likely penalty award for handball by captain Irene Paredes was not given. A two-minute VAR review spotted an earlier offside in the Italy play.
