<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">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.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>On 49 minutes, though, Tessa Wullaert’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.</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Talking point&nbsp;</b></div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>It will not be for the better. The promise of playing will help the richest clubs build even more powerful squads with ever more varied options to change a match, while their opponents deploy their changes to best thwart momentum and waste time. Add to that the potential for increasing VAR checks and the usual dissent, playacting and dithering, and fans will leave some second halves wondering if they’ve even seen one.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Player of the match:&nbsp;</b><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Tessa Wullaert (Belgium) </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">She played in flashes but was still the best player on the pitch and her fine cross helped create the goal.</span></div><div><br></div><div><b>Player ratings</b>&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Italy: Giuliani 6, Di Guglielmo 6, Bartoli 6, Linari 5, Boattin 6, Bergamaschi 6, Simonetti 6, Rosucci 5, Giugliano 5; Bonansea 7, Girelli 6. Subs: Bonfantini 7, Caruso 6, Giacinti 6, Cernoia 6, Sabatino 6.</div><div><br></div><div>Belgium: Evrard 7, Vangheluwe 7, Kees 7, Biesmans 6, Philtjens 6, Cayman 6, Vanhaevermaet 6, De Caigny 7, Dhony 6, Eurlings 5, Wullaert 7. Subs: Minnaert 6, Deloose 6, Delacauw 7, Missipo 6. -Eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>