Tine De Caigny strike gives Belgium win over Italy to qualify for Euro 2022 knockouts from Group D

A fine second-half strike from Tine De Caigny was enough to take Belgium into the last eight, where they meet Sweden on Friday evening. Italy fought hard after going behind, but cannot consider themselves unlucky to be eliminated, given how they performed in their three games.

Belgium started the better in a first half, the poverty of which can only be partially explained by the heat. Both sides lacked conviction, intensity and devil, allowing things to happen rather than taking command of them, with few serious chances created – both when Belgium were in the ascendancy and when Italy took over.

On 49 minutes, though, Tessa Wullaert’s free-kick – a rare decent ball into the box, – eventually dropped to De Caigny on the edge and her first touch was excellent, her second even better, drilling a finish into the corner.

Italy improved thereafter, building momentum, but ultimately were undone, as they have been in all three matches here, but a lack of quality, intensity and imagination.

TALKING POINT

There were seven minutes of injury-time, which sounds like a lot but wasn’t in the context of a half featuring a cooling break and many substitutions. The former, of course, is necessary, but with five now allowed in Premier League fixtures, this is something to which we’ll have to get used.

It will not be for the better. The promise of playing will help the richest clubs build even more powerful squads with ever more varied options to change a match, while their opponents deploy their changes to best thwart momentum and waste time. Add to that the potential for increasing VAR checks and the usual dissent, playacting and dithering, and fans will leave some second halves wondering if they’ve even seen one.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Tessa Wullaert (Belgium) She played in flashes but was still the best player on the pitch and her fine cross helped create the goal.

PLAYER RATINGS

Italy: Giuliani 6, Di Guglielmo 6, Bartoli 6, Linari 5, Boattin 6, Bergamaschi 6, Simonetti 6, Rosucci 5, Giugliano 5; Bonansea 7, Girelli 6. Subs: Bonfantini 7, Caruso 6, Giacinti 6, Cernoia 6, Sabatino 6.

Belgium: Evrard 7, Vangheluwe 7, Kees 7, Biesmans 6, Philtjens 6, Cayman 6, Vanhaevermaet 6, De Caigny 7, Dhony 6, Eurlings 5, Wullaert 7. Subs: Minnaert 6, Deloose 6, Delacauw 7, Missipo 6.

KEY STAT

Belgium Women have reached the last eight of a major tournament for the first time.

KEY MOMENTS

1’ – IT’S ITALY WHO ATTACK FIRST
Girelli opens an angle to shoot, curling with a punch but too close to Evrard, who tips around the post. Decent from both.

8’ – BELGIUM ARE ALL OVER THIS NOW!
Eurlings wins the ball and finds Wullaert down the left. Her cross is a goodun too, Dhont sliding in and making fair connection. But Giuliani saves easily enough.

49’ – GOAL! Italy 0-1 Belgium (De Caigny) Wullaert swings over a decent ball and Italy can’t get it away, Philtjens and Kees keeping it alive until, on the edge, it drops to De Caigny, who controls with her right, then bangs a fine low effort into the far corner with her left! Belgium go through as things stand!

52’ – THE TEAMS HAVE WOKEN UP!
Bonfantini moves down the right and picks out Simonetti, who tees up Girelli, on the edge. She opens her body, then curls a terrific cross onto the underside of the bar! Belgium clear, and the resultant corner comes to nowt.

78’ – BETTER FROM ITALY!
A ball over the top finds Giacinti, who ends Philtjens for a bag of chips, exchanges passes with Bonfantini and shoots low across goal …but a slight deflection from Kees takes it fractionally wide! This is getting warm!

90+1’ – TESSA WULLAERT IS A PLAYER!
She bounds down the inside-right channel, and just when it looks like she’s gone too far, she curls a delicious effort onto the top of the bar and away!