Italy vs Belgium Women: Caruso’s Curling Winner Decides Opener

Italy vs Belgium women set the tone for Group B at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 as Arianna Caruso’s sublime first-half curler secured a 1-0 triumph for the Azzurre in Bern on Friday night.

Italy vs Belgium women: how the decisive moment unfolded

Cristiana Girelli, restored to the starting XI, drifted into the right channel on 41 minutes and slipped a neat reverse pass into Caruso’s stride. The Juventus midfielder opened up her body, took a single touch to steady herself and then whipped a ferocious, dipping effort beyond keeper Lisa Lichtfus and inside the far post. It was a finish high on technique and timing, and it punctured a Belgian game plan that, until then, had relied on compact lines and a ferocious press led by captain Tessa Wullaert.

Red Flames’ response fizzles out

Belgium’s initial reaction after the restart suggested they were ready to claw their way back. Wullaert twice forced Francesca Durante into low stops, and midfielder Lore Deloose dragged a half-volley narrowly wide. Yet rhythm deserted Ives Serneels’ side as the clock ticked on. Italy’s double pivot of Manuela Giugliano and Valentina Bergamaschi smothered central space, while full-backs Sara Gama and Lisa Boattin shut down the flanks that Belgium had targeted in the first period.

Key match stats

• Possession: Italy 48% – 52% Belgium
• Shots on target: 5 – 3
• Expected goals (xG): 1.15 – 0.68
• Pass accuracy: 82% – 79%

Primary focus on Caruso but praise for Italy’s collective

Coach Andrea Soncin hailed Caruso’s “ice-cool technique,” but was keen to highlight collective resilience. “Winning the Euro 2025 opener gives us momentum, yet the clean sheet is equally important,” he said. Indeed, centre-back pairing Elena Linari and Cecilia Salvai barely put a foot wrong, repeatedly blocking through-balls aimed at Wullaert and attacker Tine De Caigny.

What this means for Group B

With Spain and Portugal meeting tomorrow, Italy top the pool on three points. Belgium, meanwhile, know they cannot afford another slip when they face Spain next week. Goal difference could yet prove crucial, and the Red Flames will rue the late chance substitute Jody Vangheluwe skied from eight yards.

Player ratings

Italy: Durante 7, Gama 7, Linari 8, Salvai 8, Boattin 7, Giugliano 7, Bergamaschi 7, Caruso 9, Bonansea 6, Girelli 7, Cantore 6.
Belgium: Lichtfus 6, Philtjens 6, Davina Philtjens 6, Tysiak 6, Deloose 7, Cayman 6, Missipo 6, Vanhaevermaet 6, Wullaert 7, De Caigny 6, Dhont 6.

Next fixtures

• Belgium vs Spain – Wednesday, Zurich, 20:00 CET
• Italy vs Portugal – Thursday, Basel, 17:00 CET

Historic perspective

The victory extends Italy’s unbeaten streak against Belgium to five competitive matches. The Azzurre have also now won their opening game at consecutive European Championships, having beaten Iceland 2-1 in 2022. For Belgium, this is the third tournament in a row in which they have failed to score in their first fixture, a trend that continues to undermine a side lauded for its creative potential in qualifying.

Tactical breakdown

Italy’s flexible 4-3-3

Soncin asked Giugliano to drop between the centre-backs when in possession, morphing the back line into a situational three that allowed both full-backs to surge forward. Caruso and Bergamaschi alternated late runs into the box, unsettling Belgium’s zonal marking and eventually creating the pocket Caruso exploited for her goal.

Belgian pressing triggers

The Red Flames targeted Salvai as the alleged weak link in Italy’s build-up, but the experienced defender responded by releasing the ball quickly into midfield, forcing Belgium’s second line to retreat earlier than planned. This micro-adjustment blunted the pressing effectiveness and left Wullaert isolated.

Stand-out performers

• Arianna Caruso – Not only scored but completed 91% of her passes and won four duels.
• Elena Linari – Marshalled the back line and recorded seven clearances.
• Tessa Wullaert – Belgium’s liveliest threat, yet starved of quality service in crucial phases.

Quotes from the camps

Caruso: “I saw the far corner open up and trusted my technique. Moments like these make the hours on the training pitch worthwhile.”
Serneels: “The margin was a piece of individual brilliance. We created enough to draw level, but our efficiency must improve.”

What’s at stake going forward

The three points hand Italy a buffer before they encounter Iberian opposition later in the group. Victory against Portugal would almost certainly book a quarter-final berth. Belgium, conversely, face an uphill battle; Spain’s progressive midfield will demand sharper transitions than those displayed tonight.

Our view

Italy vs Belgium women was billed as a chess match, and that proved accurate until Caruso flipped the board with a stroke of genius. While the scoreline suggests a narrow escape, the composure Italy displayed after taking the lead hints at a side capable of going deep in this tournament. Belgium must rediscover the incision that lit up their qualification campaign, or risk another early exit.

Opinion: Caruso’s strike will dominate highlight reels, but the real story is Italy’s maturity. Previous Azzurre squads might have panicked under late pressure; this one never wavered. That psychological shift could be the difference between quarter-final heartbreak and a genuine title push.