Full-time: Italy 2-0 China
A goal in each half gave Italy a deserved victory, although China played some neat stuff for long periods without ever looking capable of penetrating the Italians’ iron defence. Italy were enterprising and took their opportunities with a deadliness that China lacked. They become the sixth European team into the quarter-finals, where they will play either Japan or the European champions, Holland.
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90+1 min: Giugilaini tries to crown Italy’s victory by blasting into the net from long range, but her shot buzzes wide at the near post.
89 min: Italy are heading into the quarter-finals and they will be testing opponents for either Holland or Japan. They attack with verve and defend stoutly.
86 min: Linari, impeccably positioned as always, cuts out another attack. She and Gama have been imperious in the centre of the Italian defence.
84 min: Cernoia sprints down the right as Italy attack for the first time in a while. It peters out quickly, with an aimless cross. China whizz up the other end and fire off an even more aimless shot from 30 yards. File under “clutching lamely at straws”.
82 min: Wang sends over a good corner. Linari leaps highest to head clear. When Cong sends it back in from the left, Zhang heads weakly wide from 10 yards.
81 min: As the Italians fans chant happily in the stands, their team continues to repel China’s earnest attacks with minimum bother.
79 min: A rare lapse by Linari as she allows a long pass to drift over her head. Li Ying runs on to it ... but Linari recovers and wins the ball back at the edge of the box.
77 min: Gama intervenes to boot the ball clear after another bright Chinese attack founders on shoddy control in the area.
75 min: Han chests down the ball at the edge of the Italian area after a corner is half-cleared. But he ensuing shot makes for easy pickings for Giuliani.
73 min: A bad cross from the right ruins a bright Chinese move.
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71 min: Some good old-fashioned Italian defending by Linari there, hurling herself in front of shots at the edge of her own box, making important blocks without actually going to ground.
Italy substitution: Rosucci on, Bonansea off after a quiet game.
67 min: Gama blocks a shot at the expense of a corner. “I imagine that one could argue that China has technically played a better game,” offers Mary Waltz. “But the confident spirit of constant attack of the Italians has payed off, at least so far. Yes, at moments the Italians have looked sloppy on defense, but I love the verve they display every time China makes the slightest error.” Yes, and there have been many, many such errors, plus bluntness when it matters in attack - both of which must be classed as rather large technical failings. The keeper was highly suspect on the second goal, too, I fancy. All in all, Italy deserve to be in front and, as you say, the gusto with which they attack is wonderful.
65 min: Nice move by China, culiminating in tricky footworwk by Wang in the Italian area. But, under pressure, she slips as she makes to shoot, leading to a half-hit effort that trickles into the keeper’s arms.
Italy substitution: Mauro on, Bergamaschi off.
China susbtitutions: Yao and Song on, Yan Wan and Wang off. With the introduction of a pair of strikers, China signal their intention to go down all guns blazing, if they go down they must.
60 min: Solid defending by Bartoli to sabotage a promising Chinese move.
59 min: Bonansea, who has been remarkably quiet despite all the attackign that Italy have done, tries to make an impact on the game with a blast from distance. But it’s charged down.
57 min: Linari steps in to relieve Li Ying of the ball and launch a counter-attack, which comes to an an end when Bartoli is rumbled for handball.
55 min: Galli sends over a low cross from the left. A poor attempted clearance at the near post sends the ball to Giaciniti, who goes down under a challenge from another defender. Italy want a penalty, and the ref decideds to consult with Var. The review doesn’t take long: China are in the clear.
53 min: “The Italians were hemmed in largely because they keep making poor choices as soon as they have the ball, or intelligent passes go badly astray,” notes Michael Clark. “That suggests they’re sagging because of the heat. Their second goal, their first serious threat in about 30 minutes camesfrom a recent sub, and after a few moments of play in which Italy made few such blunders.” True, though China do deserve some credit for adding to Italy’s frazzled state-of-mind with much-improved attacking in the second part of the first half. But they’ll have to do even better if they’re to get back into this tie now.
GOAL! Italy 2-0 China (Galli 50)
That gives Italy the breathing space they needed. Galli received the ball in space about 25 yards out and perfectly central. She takes one touch to control it and then sweeps a low shot beyond the keeper and into the net!
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47 min: Giuliani play a dicey ball to a defender who didn’t want it, and Li tries to steal in and take it. But she can’t make a clean get away, so the keeper escapes.
46 min: Italy get the second half going. Let’s see what good the break did them...
China substitution: Yang Li on, Gu off.
“At yesterday’s pre-match press conference, Italy’s captain Sara Gama was asked - after the Italians reached the round of 16 following a two decade absence from the tournament - ‘are you suffering from vertigo?’” write Kieran Pender from the Stade de la Mosson. “She insisted they were not, but the Italians will need to stay down to earth for the next 45 minutes if they are to see off the vastly more experienced China, who have only failed to make the World Cup quarter-finals once.”
Half-time: Italy 1-0 China
When Giacinti fired Italy into the lead in the 15th minute, it looked like that would be the first of many goals for the women in blue. But China gradually grew back into the game and began to gain the upperhand in midfield, keep the ball away from their own error-riddled defence and begin to put serious pressure on the Italians, who ended up quite grateful to reach the interval with the lead. It makes for an intriguing second half.
45 + 1 min: Italy look like they need the break as China continue to come on strong...
44 min: Guani has to make a crucial sliding tackle eight yards from her own goal to deny China after some lovely interplay in the box. The threat from China is definitely growing...
42 min: Galli’s first involvement results in a freekick as she upends Han. Wang Yan sends over a decent freekick, which Wang meets seven yards out, and she flicks it against the post! But she was offside.
Italy substitution: Galli on, Girelli off, presumably with some strain of injury.
39 min: Dainty work by Li Ying down the right, dodging past the defender before hanging up a decent ball to the back. Italy survive.
38 min: China are exerting serious press now, sending lots of balls into the Italian box. They’re starting to look as dangerous to the opposing at one end as they are to themselves at the other.
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36 min: Wang’s corner is cleared at the near post. Liu had a pop from over 25 yards. It bounces in fonrt of Giuliani, who keepers her eye on the ball and holds it safely.
34 min: Gama intercepts another slack Chinese pass and then - from the centre circle, no less - tries to beat Peng. Did she not see that save a moment ago? Well, no need for Peng to do a replay because Gama’s shot drifts way wide.
33 min: Bartoli sends a simple ball from the right-back position over the Chinese defence and into the path of Bergamaschi, who charges into the right-hand side of the box and lets fly. Peng throws herself to her right to make a tremendous full-length save!
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32 min: Guiliani hurtles off her line to drop on the ball as Gu tried to latch on to a nice pass from deep.
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30 min: Giacinti runs through on a one-on-one with the keeper ... and rolls the ball beyond the far post! She’s disgusted with herself, all the mroe so when she sees that it wouldn’t have counted anyway because she had mistimed her run and was a yard offside.
27 min: Linars strains to head away a Li cross from the right. When the ball breaks to the edge of the area, Yan Wang hits a lovely swirling drive, forcing Giuliani to tip the ball over with one hand. The keeper then comes to claim the corner with confidence.
25 min: “If China doesn’t button up their back line soon this could get ugly quick,” hollers Mary Waltz. “But watching Italy’s constant attacking style is a joy. Italian Pirates, who knew.” China are beginning to piece togther some useful moves in the Italian half but yes, they still look alarmingly fragile at the back. But iI’d question your use of the term ‘ugly’: I, for one, hope that if China don’t make this a tight contest, then Italy make it an absolute wallopping. In such circumstances another 13-0 would be just dandy, if you ask me.
23 min: Li Ying wellies over a useful cross from the right. Gama deals with it.
18 min: Bonansea dispossesses a defender mid-way inside the Chinese half and goes for a through-ball to Giacinti. It doesn’t come off but the Chiense manager will be aghast at the way his team are being bullied by the Italian midfielder and forwards, who have been sharper and stronger from the first minute.
15 min: The goal originated in yet another Chinese mistakes: they are continually coughing up the ball under pressure in their own half. This time Wu was the culprit wide on the left. Peng made a good save at the feet to Bartoli but when the ball rebounded towards the penalty spot, Giacinti was sharpest, beating a defender to it and stabbing home.
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GOAL! Italy 1-0 China (Giacinti 15)
It had been coming, and Giacinti, in particular, deserved it.
13 min: A blunder by Han to the right of her own box as she passes it straight to Giacinti. The striker tries to take immediate advantage and fire into the net past the out-of-position keeper from 23 yards. But she misses the target and throws her hands to her face in disbelief. It wasn’t the easiest angle, in fairness.
11 min: Girelli opens up the Chinese defence with a nice turn and pass just inside the opposing half. Giacinti slopts it past the keeper with minimum fuss and turns away to celebrate ... util she sees the offside flag.
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9 min: Italy are starting to get some joy down the right. This time Bergamaschi lays the ball back for Guagni, who hoiks it into the box from deep. China defend it well.
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7 min: Bergmaschi digs out a testing cross from the right. Wu is admirably vigilant this time and hooks it away from the edge of the six-yard box.
6 min: Li does well to win the ball wide on the right and goes on a barrelling run into the box. It takes two to stop her breaking through.
3 min: Giuliani floats a diangonal pass from the left towards the six-yard box. Wu decides to let it run through to the keeper, unaware that Giacinti is lurking nearby. Fortunately for the defender, the keeper is more alert and rushes in to grab the bouncing ball.
2 min: Italy pester China into losing possession id-way inside their own half. Girelli tries to thread a pass through to Bonansea, who made an astute run in anticipation of it. But the pass is ever so slightly overhit.
1 min: China complete a succcesful kickoff, unless Var has spotted something requiring a retake. No, it’s all good: the match is under way!
The Italians sure aren’t coy singers: they’re belting out their national anthem with mighty gusto.
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“Italy have been one of the most entertaining teams in this tournament,” reckons Mary Waltz. “If they can stay patient they will eventually break down the Chinese and advance.” I’m torn between wanting an early goal to open the game and wanting it to remain tight and scoreless for many agonising minutes, just to see how tetchy certain players become, with the oppressive heat adding to the tension.
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“It has been a sweltering day in Montpellier, as the European heatwave begins to be felt,” writes Kieran Prender from the Stade de la Mosson. “Thankfully the media tribune is nicely shaded, but the players are receiving an afternoon roasting as they warm up. China have had an extra day’s rest, and that could make all the different in this warm weather.”
Teams
Italy: Giuliani; Guagni, Gama, Linari, Bartoli; Bergamaschi, Giugliano, Cernoia; Giacinti, Girelli, Bonansea
Subs: Galli, Rosucci, Parisi, Sabatino, Marchitelli, Tarenzi, Serturini, Fusetti, Boattin, Mauro, Tucceri Cimini, Pipitone
China: Peng; Han, Wu, Lin, Liu; Sh Sh Wang, Zhang, Yan Wang, Gu; Wang, Li
Subs: Xu, Lou, Li, Yang, Wang, Song, Li, Bi, Tan, Yao, Luo Liu
Referee: EA Batista (Brazil)
Preamble
Hello and welcome to this last 16 showdown in Montpellier. The winners will face a quarter-final against either Holland or Japan. The smart money must be on Italy, who got there by topping a group that also featured Brazil, Australia and Jamaica and benefit from having a gaggle of Juventus players, including the nifty striker Barbara Bonansea. But China won’t be easy to break down: they only lost 1-0 to Germany in the group stages and held Spain to 0-0 draw after edging past South Africa 1-0. They’ll be looking to try to keep this one tight, while Italy will be hellbent on blowing them away. Whose wish will come true? That’s what we’re here to find out. It’s on!
