Tine De Caigny strike gives Belgium win over Italy to qualify for Euro 2022 knockouts from Group D

A fine second-half strike from Tine De Caigny was enough to take Belgium into the last eight, where they meet Sweden on Friday evening. Italy fought hard after going behind, but cannot consider themselves unlucky to be eliminated, given how they performed in their three games. Belgium started the better in a first half, the poverty of which can only be partially explained by the heat.

Both sides lacked conviction, intensity and devil, allowing things to happen rather than taking command of them, with few serious chances created – both when Belgium were in the ascendancy and when Italy took over. Ad/> On 49 minutes, though, Wulaert’s free-kick – a rare decent ball into the box, – eventually dropped to De Caigny on the edge and her first touch was excellent, her second even better, drilling a finish into the corner. Euro 2022France book quarter-final spot with Belgium win14/07/2022 AT 18:21 Euro 2022 fixtures/results Euro 2022 tables Euro 2022 top scorers Italy improved thereafter, building momentum, but ultimately were undone, as they have been in all three matches here, but a lack of quality, intensity and imagination.

TALKING POINT There were seven minutes of injury-time, which sounds like a lot but wasn’t in the context of a half featuring a cooling break and many substitutions. The former, of course, is necessary, but with five now allowed in Premier League fixtures, this is something to which we’ll have to get used. It will not be for the better.