Italy 'hurt' after falling 1 minute short of dream

Italy manager Andrea Soncin recovered solace successful heartbreak aft his broadside came wrong 1 infinitesimal of reaching the Euro 2025 final, saying it was an encouraging motion that they came truthful adjacent earlier losing 2-1 to England successful other clip connected Tuesday.

"This is thing which hurts, but we person to beryllium arrogant of what has been done," helium told reporters. "The information that we didn't get to the last and we were 1 infinitesimal distant is encouragement."

Italian midfielder Sofia Cantore told Reuters that Italy's show showed the spot and maturation of the squad.

"I deliberation we made thing incredible. Now I'm sad, but we bring with ourselves the thought that we tin beryllium strong," Cantore said.

The past clip Italy reached a Women's European Championship last was 1997.

They looked destined to repetition the feat erstwhile Juventus midfielder Barbara Bonansea fired location successful the 33rd infinitesimal astatine the Stade de Geneve. Italian fans erupted successful celebration, with 1 proudly holding a motion declaring "It is coming location to Rome."

But England's 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang had different ideas, equalising successful the 96th infinitesimal to nonstop the lucifer to other clip and spot Chloe Kelly's victor yet crush Italian dreams.

"There is simply a batch of regret, we were a infinitesimal and a fractional distant from the dream. Unfortunately successful the last we were tired," Elena Linari told Italian broadcaster RAI.

"I americium arrogant of the girls, it is simply a bitter evening, but besides a saccharine one," she added.

The enactment Italy received from their fans astatine the tourney is thing Cantore hopes volition proceed into the future.

"The fans present person to enactment person to us, due to the fact that possibly they are present conscious astir our strengths," she said.