Women’s EURO: Unbeaten Spain overcame Italy; Belgium beat Portugal

NEW DELHI: 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 took 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 its quarterfinal in one week.

Norway awaits Italy in the first quarterfinal on Wednesday in Geneva, and it will be Spain-Switzerland two days later in Bern.

Janice Cayman scored in stoppage time for Belgium to beat Portugal 2-1 and a first win in its final game.

Amber Tysiak thought she already scored Belgium’s winner in stoppage time but that goal was struck out for an offside call, the second Belgium goal ruled out after a VAR check.

Portugal needed a win to have any hope of making the knockout stage but got off to a bad start when Belgium captain Tessa Wullaert slid in to meet Jill Janssens’ cross for the third-minute opener.

More bad news came from Bern where Italy took a shock lead against tournament favorite Spain. Portugal was hoping for a heavy Italian defeat to enable its progress to the quarterfinals on goal difference — as long as it also won.

Telma Encarnacao got Portugal’s only goal late and couldn’t prevent her team’s elimination. Agencies

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