Italy player ratings vs Portugal: Boattin bounces back, but...
STADE DE GENEVE (Geneva, Switzerland) - Italy let a late lead slip to draw 1-1 with Portugal and complicate their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals at UEFA Women's EURO 2025.
A Cristiana Girelli - who was named UEFA Player of the Match - stunner had put Italy in front on 70 minutes, but the Azzurre then switched off and, having already had the fortune of seeing one Portugal goal ruled out for offside, conceded to an 89th-minute Diana Gomes finish.
A win would have seen Italy qualify for the quarter-finals, but a draw now puts them in a tricky position ahead of their final Group B fixture against Spain. With the Azzurre now sitting on four points, a Portugal win over still-pointless (and eliminated) Belgium could see the Portuguese advance at their expense.
Italy player ratings vs Portugal at Women’s EURO 2025
Giuliani 5; Lenzini 5, Salvai 5, Linari 6; Di Guglielmo 6 (76' Oliviero N/R), Caruso 5.5, Severini 6, Giugliano 5 (59' Greggi 6), Boattin 6.5 (87' Bergamaschi N/R); Cantore 5.5 (59' Cambiaghi 5.5), Girelli 6 (87' Bonansea N/R).
Italy Player of the Match - Lisa Boattin
After a performance against Belgium on Matchday 1 that was a long way off her usual level, Lisa Boattin's place in Andrea Soncin's Italy XI was anything but assured for the Portugal game. Once chosen, though, she showed exactly why Soncin put his faith in her again.
From the first minute the Juventus full-back was Italy's best player - initially alongside her closest teammate on the pitch in Elena Linari. But Boattin's impact in attack is what really elevated her above anybody else in Geneva.
Cecilia Salvai hit the crossbar on the end of an inch-perfect cross from her left foot, and another stunning ball from the left saw Arianna Caruso get a header on target that allowed Emma Severini tap in on the rebound, although the Fiorentina midfielder had wandered offside. Even Girelli's stunning goal had Boattin's help as she showed herself to still have fuel in the tank to overlap and open the space for the No.10 to cut inside.