Italy scored only three goals in the group stage, but was the first to score on each of their four outings in Switzerland.
Andrea Sungsing’s side controlled ownership over Norway in the first half, moving from defense to attack at a terrible speed.
England’s defense has already struggled with the pace of French and Swedish forwards, which has become a continuing concern since the 2023 World Cup.
“Italia loads the lines. They do it really effectively and the Norwegians couldn’t deal with how they stretch the game,” former England defender Anita Asante said of the BBC One.
Italy likes to broaden its range as much as possible. Against Norway, their wide players hugged the touchline. In other words, Guro Reiten, the makeshift left-back, could not contribute to the attack. They were able to aim to secure England fullbacks Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood in a similar way.
“Italia showed the fight, they showed the hunger, they showed the belief. They also reflect the growth of Italian women’s football,” Asante said.
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha featured in the Italian post-match celebration.
“Italians were celebrating like they had almost won, but it reminds me that there are so many different perceptions as I enter the tournament, and that is important because I am proud of it as a team and country.
“Why can’t they believe they can win another game and play the entire trophy?”
That said, Italy appears to have flagged its second half, and the lucky Norway was not capitalized. However, England needed extra time and penalties to beat Sweden, and after a chomping off after an awkward landing at the ankle, Captain Leah Williamson was concerned about his injuries.
“I think we’re beginning to see the lethargic side from Italy, as we’d expect in the fourth game of this tournament,” former Scotland captain Rachel Corsy told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“A lot of players have started every game, and you can understand why it’s a victim.”
