Euro 2022: Grace Geyoro scores hat-trick as France thrash Italy

Grace Geyoro scored a hat-trick as France underlined their credentials as one of many favourites to win Euro 2022 by thrashing Italy 5-1 of their Group D opener at Rotherham’s New York Stadium.

Italian ahead Barbara Bonansea pressured an important save out of goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin within the first couple of minutes, however from then issues took a foul flip for Italy as France placed on an attacking masterclass.

Geyoro received the primary of her objectives within the ninth minute when she fired dwelling from the energetic Kadidiatou Diani’s cross.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto, extensively tipped to win the Golden Boot at this match, scored her twenty sixth worldwide aim in her thirty first look simply three minutes later, stabbing in after the goalkeeper had palmed a shot into her path.

Katoto then noticed a header hit the publish earlier than Delphine Cascarino made it 3-0 with a thunderous strike six minutes earlier than the break.

There was nonetheless time for France to attain twice extra earlier than half-time as Geyoro rolled in after rounding the goalkeeper, earlier than she accomplished her hat-trick with with a neat end from 14 yards.

To Italy’s credit score, they did enhance after the break, though they had been lucky to complete the sport with 10 gamers when Sara Gama had a purple card overturned following a VAR evaluate, regardless of the problem showing reckless.

Martina Piemonte then headed in with 14 minutes remaining to provide the travelling Italy followers a comfort to cheer.

France hearth warning to rivals

Ranked third on the earth and arriving on the match on the again of 14 consecutive victories, France are rightly considered as being among the many main contenders to win Euro 2022 – even when, up to now, success at main tournaments has eluded them.

They have didn’t progress additional than the quarter-finals of their six earlier appearances on the European Women’s Championships, nevertheless this efficiency confirmed that they’ve the intention and high quality to go a lot additional this time.

Italy merely had no reply to France’s sensible assault within the first half, with Diani’s trickery and direct working inflicting panic within the defence, whereas Katoto – who along with her aim supplied the help for Geyoro’s second – highlighted why she is a striker to be feared at Euro 2022.

On this displaying, no defence will need to come up in opposition to this France assault, which blended ability, tempo and medical ending to devastating impact.

Defensive work to do for Italy

Having didn’t get out of the group stage in 2017, Italy had been hoping to do significantly better this time round. But such a heavy defeat of their opening sport is way from a really perfect begin.

However, they will take coronary heart from their second-half show. As outclassed as they had been within the opening 45 minutes, they competed after the break and had been unlucky to not have greater than the one comfort aim.

That could have been all the way down to France stepping off in assault to preserve power, however Italy ought to take encouragement from how they completed the sport as they appear to rise up and working in opposition to Iceland on Thursday.