07/11/25 04:11:00
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07/11 16:10 CDT Euro 2025: Unbeaten Spain overcomes Italy which also advances
to quarterfinals
Euro 2025: Unbeaten Spain overcomes Italy which also advances to quarterfinals
BERN, Switzerland (AP) --- 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
Gonzlez's tournament-leading fourth goal in stoppage time.
Still, Spain had enough problems in defense handling the Italians 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 Bonmat, two weeks since the
two-time Ballon d'Or winner was hospitalized by viral meningitis.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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