Italy v Netherlands Live Commentary & Result, 29/06/2019, Women's World Cup

That's all for today, goodbye!

Italy's tournament has come to an end after equalling their best ever finish at a World Cup. Netherlands, however, have reached the semi-final of the tournament for the first time in their history but will have to wait until later to find out if they'll face Germany or Sweden in Lyon on Wednesday.

Netherlands reach the semi-finals after beating Italy 2-0. It was a slow game in the first half but Italy had the better chances before the break when Bergamaschi had two close-range efforts saved by Van Veenendaal. Netherlands came out with much more intent in the second half and piled the pressure on their opponents. Van de Donk hit the crossbar for them before Miedema glanced in Spitse's free-kick in the 70th minute. Van der Gragt then secured the win when she rose highest to head Spitse's set-piece into the back of the net.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: ITALY 0-2 NETHERLANDS.

90' + 4' Netherlands have a free-kick and it's played short to Beerensteyn who takes it straight into the corner. She's quickly closed down by three Italian defenders though and she can't keep hold of the ball.

90' + 2' Italy are starting to look dangerous as we head into the last few minutes of the game and have had a couple of opportunities to have a shot. The crosses into the box have let them down though and Van Veenendaal has been able to claim them.

90' Italy are trying to get out of their own half, but are being let down by their own passing. They're sloppily giving the ball away under no pressure and are inviting Netherlands to close them down.

88' Italy have a free-kick in a good position in midfield and Giugliano whips the cross into the box. It's a poor delivery though and it's straight into the gloves of Van Veenendaal.

J. Roord

V. Miedema

87' The other goal scorer, Miedema, is also coming off and Roord comes on to replace her.

A. Dekker

S. van der Gragt

87' Netherlands are making a double change now. First to come off is Van der Gragt, who scored the second goal, and Dekker is on in her place.

85' Eight of Netherlands' 10 goals at the World Cup this year have been scored in the second half.

83' GREAT SAVE BY VAN VEENENDAAL! Sabatino gets past her defender and has a go from a tight angle on the right of the box. The goalkeeper is quickly off her line and throws up an arm just in time to deny the striker.

82' Italy still can't keep hold of the ball as Netherlands are on the attack once again. Spitse takes a corner and Martens reaches it at the near post but ends up squaring a pass across goal instead of having a shot.

S. Spitse

Assist

80' Spitse's delivery is brilliant once again as she drills her cross towards the group of players waiting at the far post.

S. van der Gragt

Goal

80' VAN DER GRAGT DOUBLES THEIR LEAD! It's another free-kick that catches Italy out and Spitse puts another good delivery into the box. Van der Gragt rises highest in the crowd at the far post and fires her header over Giuliani and into the back of the net. 2-0 Netherlands!

D. Sabatino

Yellow Card

79' Sabatino receives a yellow card for a bad foul on Van de Donk.

79' Miedema has drifted out onto the left wing and puts a good cross into the box to pick out Van de Donk in the middle. She rises to get on the end of it but sends her header wide of the far post.

77' The players are off the field for the second cooling break now and Bertolini is using the opportunity to give her team some more instructions for the last 15 minutes or so.

A. Serturini

V. Bergamaschi

75' Final roll of the dice for Italy now as Bergamaschi makes way for Serturini.

V. Cernoia

Yellow Card

73' Cernoia is the latest player to be booked after a bad foul on Beerensteyn and if Italy do make it through to the next round, she'll miss the semi-final as it's her second yellow card of the tournament.

72' Italy are straight on the attack following the restart and they have a free-kick in a good position. Bergamaschi puts the cross into the box, but it's cleared away by Netherlands' defenders.

S. Spitse

Assist

70' It was a good set-piece from Spitse and her cross was too high for Cernoia to clear before it went through to Miedema.

V. Miedema

Goal

70' MIEDEMA PUTS NETHERLANDS AHEAD! The free-kick is whipped into the box by Spitse and glances her header on target. Giuliani almost gets a hand to it, but the ball flies past her and into the back of the net. 1-0 Netherlands!

69' Gama's frustration is starting to show now after she caught Van de Donk with a late challenge. It wasn't a bad tackle, but she reacted towards the midfielder and could have talked herself into a booking if she hadn't been pulled away.

67' Miedema takes the free-kick on the right wing and it looks like she was going for goal. Her effort was curling towards the far post, but it finished wide of the target.

A. Guagni

Yellow Card

67' Guagni is the second player to receive a yellow card today after she pulled Beerensteyn off the ball.

65' Netherlands have had 10 shots in the second half so far, with Italy failing to have any.

63' SPITSE COMES CLOSE! This time she strikes the free-kick cleanly and she drives her effort across goal, looking for the bottom corner. It looks like Giuliani had it covered, but the effort was just wide of the post.

61' Italy once again don't clear a cross into the box and it bounces over Gama to Beerensteyn. The substitute hits the shot first time but it's high over the crossbar.

60' Van Veenendaal has almost been played into trouble twice by her defenders due to poor backpasses. Giacinti was closing her down both times, but the keeper kept calm to clear her lines without giving away a chance.

58' OFF THE CROSSBAR! The corner is cleared to Van de Donk on the edge of the box and she has time to take a touch before getting her shot away. It's curling towards the top corner and Giuliani is beaten, but it rebounds back off the woodwork.

L. Beerensteyn

S. van de Sanden

56' Van de Sanden, who has been brilliant in the second half so far, is taken off by Wiegman and Beerensteyn is on in her place.

D. Sabatino

B. Bonansea

55' Bertolini makes Italy's second change of the match by bringing on Sabatino in place of Bonansea.

54' Italy just can't get on the ball at the minute due to how well Netherlands have started the half. They're having to keep more players back in defence to try and close down the space ahead of their opponents.

52' Van Lunteren puts a brilliant cross into the six-yard box which Gama can't clear. Miedema is behind her and is just inches away from tapping the ball into the net, but she couldn't make contact with it.

50' Another great cross into the box from Van de Sanden picks out Martens this time. She chests it down but doesn't strike the ball particularly well and Giuliani get across her line well to save it.

49' GOOD CHANCE FOR MIEDEMA! Van de Sanden gets past Guagni and chips a great cross into Miedema. The forward rises highest and gets on the end of it, but can't direct her effort on target.

48' Netherlands have started the second half brightly and are keeping the ball high up the field. They haven't been able to find a way into the box yet, but they're patiently passing their way forward.

46' Italy get the game back underway for the second half!

L. Boattin

E. Bartoli

46' Italy are making a change at the start of the second half. Bartoli is the player making way, with Boattin coming on in her place.

The heat seems to have been playing a big part in the game as it's been slow for big parts of the game. Italy have created the better opportunities to break the deadlock but just haven't been clinical enough in front of goal to take the lead. If they continue to play the way they have on the counter-attack then they have a good chance of beating Van Veenendaal. As for Netherlands, Martens looked dangerous in the first half but they need to get her involved more often. They also need to improve their final ball into the box to get their forward players in on goal.

In a game of few chances, Italy and Netherlands are level at 0-0 at half-time. Netherlands have dominated in possession but created few clear-cut opportunities in front of goal. Miedema had the first shot on target with a long-range effort which was saved by Giuliani and Spitse was also denied by the keeper from a free-kick. Bergamaschi has come closest for Italy, first with an effort on the edge of the six-yard box before scuffing an effort from a similar position minutes later and both were saved by Van Veenendaal.

45' + 6' HALF-TIME: ITALY 0-0 NETHERLANDS.

45' + 4' Bergamaschi plays a short pass through two Netherlands defenders to try and pick out Giacinti. She almost gets on the end of it, but Bloodworth recovers brilliantly to deflect the ball away from her.

45' + 3' Van de Donk slips a brilliant throughball into Martens on the edge of the six-yard box which catches out Gama. It's just ahead of Martens though and Giuliani is off her line quickly to reach it first.

45' + 1' Italy are steadily trying to build-up their attacks from the back at the minute, but they're letting themselves down with sloppy passes when they get into Netherlands' half.

44' Van de Donk is down at the minute and receiving some treatment. It doesn't look like it's a serious injury though and she'll be able to carry on.

42' Spitse takes the free-kick on the edge of the box and she keeps her effort low as she curls it around the wall. It's heading into the bottom corner, but there's not a lot of power on the shot which makes it a comfortable save for Giuliani.

E. Linari

Yellow Card

41' Linari picks up the first booking of the game after a push on Miedema on the edge of the penalty area.

40' Italy are once again stuck in their own half at the minute as Netherlands are keeping the ball very well. They're keeping their shape well though to close down the space in midfield.

38' Once again, Van de Sanden and Van Lunteren are linking up well down the right wing and it's the right-back that puts the cross into the box. She squares it into the six-yard box but it's comfortable for Giuliani to reach it.

36' GIACINTI COMES CLOSE! She takes a touch to set herself before hitting the shot across goal towards the bottom corner. She couldn't get it on target though and it rolled wide of the post.

35' Cernoia took too long to clear the ball for Italy and Van de Sanden wins it back. She squares her cross into the middle of the box, looking for Miedema, but the forward was caught on her heels and couldn't reach it before Linari.

33' The players are back on the field now and it's Italy that are taking the throw-in to get play started once again.

31' The teams have just come off the field for the first cooling break of the game due to the temperature and are getting some instructions from their coaches before play gets back underway.

29' Miedema gets Netherlands' first shot on target with a long-range effort. She turns past Gama on the edge of the box before hitting the strike, but it's straight at Giuliani.

27' Martens and Miedema try to play a one-two between the Italy defenders to get Martens in on goal, but Linari is once again in the right place to intercept it for Italy.

25' Galli decides to have a go from long range when the ball falls to her on the edge of the box. It's a wild effort though and it flies high over the crossbar.

24' Netherlands are dominating in possession, but their final ball into the box has been letting them down as none of the forward players are making runs in behind Italy.

22' Cernoia takes a free-kick for Italy on the right wing and she drives it into the box at the near post. She can't beat the first player though and Spitse puts it out for a corner.

20' Bergamaschi does brilliantly to dribble past two Netherlands defenders to get herself one-on-one with the keeper. Her shot lets her down though as she scuffs it and the save is comfortable for Van Veenendaal.

18' GREAT CHANCE FOR BERGAMASCHI! Bonansea flicks the ball onto Bergamaschi who brings it down well on her chest before hitting her shot. It's a good effort, but it's straight at Van Veenendaal who makes the save.

16' Van de Sanden and Van Lunteren are linking up well down the right side and causing Italy some problems. Linari gets across well to stop the right-back from putting a cross into the box this time though.

14' Italy are starting to look more comfortable on the ball when they get possession now. Cernoia gets into a good position down the left but Van Lunteren puts her under pressure and wins it back before she can put a cross in.

12' Van der Gragt played a risky backpass to her goalkeeper which instantly puts her under pressure from two Italian forwards. They both jump up to try and close down her goal kick, but Van Veenendaal keeps calm to clear her lines.

10' Van Lunteren is forward again and she puts a very deep cross into the box. None of her team-mates have made a run to the far post though and Giuliani sees the ball out of play.

8' Bloodworth plays a good throughball to Miedema on the edge of the box but it gets stuck under her feet which allows Cernoia to get across and dispossess her before she can have a shot.

6' Netherlands are getting a lot of joy down the right wing at the minute and this time it's Van Lunteren who is able to put a cross into the box. It's right on top of the keeper though and Giuliani holds onto it.

4' Italy haven't really been able to get hold of the ball in the game so far and are having to sit back in their own half as Netherlands keep possession.

2' Netherlands have made a bright start to the game and Martens finds herself in space down the left wing. She puts a good cross into the far post, but it's too high for Van de Sanden to get on the end of.

1' Miedema gets the game underway for Netherlands!

The teams are out on the field now, with kick-off just moments away.

Netherlands are unbeaten in their last five games against Italy in all competitions (W3 D2), after failing to win any of the 12 before that.

Sarina Wiegman was clearly impressed by her side's performance against Japan as she names an unchanged starting line-up today. Miedema and Martens, who scored a brace in the last match, are once again leading the line for Netherlands alongside Van de Sanden.

Milena Bertolini makes just one change to the team that beat China in the last round. She brings in Galli, who came on as a substitute and scored in that game, to replace Girelli.

NETHERLANDS SUBS: Victoria Pelova, Danique Kerkdijk, Inessa Kaagman, Renate Jansen, Lineth Beerensteyn, Kika van Es, Anouk Dekker, Lize Kop, Liza van der Most, Jill Roord, Loes Guerts, Ellen Jansen.

NETHERLANDS STARTING XI (4-3-3): Sari van Veenendaal; Desiree van Lunteren, Stefanie van der Gragt, Dominique Bloodworth, Merel van Dongen; Jackie Groenen, Sherida Spitse, Danielle van de Donk; Shanice van de Sanden, Vivianne Miedema, Lieke Martens.

ITALY SUBS: Lisa Boattin, Linda Tucceri, Alice Parisi, Martina Rosucci, Annamaria Serturini, Daniela Sabatino, Rosalie Pipitone, Ilaria Mauro, Laura Fusetti, Cristiana Girelli, Stefania Tarenzi, Chiara Marchitelli.

ITALY STARTING XI (4-4-2): Laura Giuliani; Alia Guagni, Sara Gama, Elena Linari, Elisa Bartoli; Valentina Bergamaschi, Aurora Galli, Manuela Giugliano, Valentina Cernoia; Valentina Giacinti, Barbara Bonansea.

Italy have surprised many people with their progress in the World Cup this year and have reached the quarter-finals for just the second time in their history. They withstood China's pressure in the last game to beat them 2-0 to reach this round. As for Netherlands, they scored a controversial late penalty against Japan to win the match 2-1 and qualify for their first ever quarter-final in the competition.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Women's World Cup quarter-final match between Italy and the Netherlands.

Italy v Netherlands Live Commentary, 29/06/2019

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