GENEVA (AP) — Portugal desperately pressed Italy to find the goal to stay alive at the Women’s European Championship and finally got it in the 89th minute from Diana Gomes to secure a 1-1 draw.
GENEVA (AP) — Portugal desperately pressed Italy to find the goal to stay alive at the Women’s European Championship and finally got it in the 89th minute from Diana Gomes to secure a 1-1 draw.
The result sent Spain into the quarterfinals from Group B after its earlier 6-2 rout of Belgium which was eliminated from contention.
Italy was joining Spain in the quarterfinals with a lead taken in the 70th on captain Cristiana Girelli’s high-class curling shot from 20 meters.
Portugal seemed to have a lifeline in the 80th but Diana Silva’s goal was ruled out for an offside spotted after a two-minute video review.
Then Portugal was denied by the crossbar in the 89th when Carole Costa’s firm header came back off into play, before the ball was recycled down the left flank for Gomes to earn a crucial point. Gomes met a low cross with a looping shot that eluded Laura Giuliani’s dive.
Portugal defender Ana Borges was sent off deep into stoppage time.
Italy is still favored to advance, moving up to four points in the group standings. That is three clear of Portugal but also six better in goal difference which is now the tiebreaker between the two.
In Friday’s final round, Italy plays Spain and Portugal faces Belgium. Portugal must find its scoring touch and likely hope free-scoring Spain can beat Italy heavily.
Frantic finish
The frenetic ending was dramatically different to a lackluster first half and a lack of quality in Portugal’s play to that point. The 35-year-old Girelli’s strike was shaping to be a worthy winning goal.
Portugal gave a start to playmaker Kika Nazareth less than four months after surgery on her left ankle. She had more influence as the game wore on despite her lack of game time.
It was a first half of honest endeavour and too little creativity that sparked a wave around the stadium by both sets of cheerful but restless fans. It rounded the stadium four times and restarted in the 65th.
Diogo Jota tributes
In a pre-game tribute to Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota who died last week in a car crash, the Portuguese players wore warmup jerseys with his name on the back.
Portugal also wore black armbands during the game.
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AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press