Italy Women continue to put in the hard work with their second EURO 2025 qualifying match in mind. Up next for the Azzurre, who beat the Netherlands in their opener, is an away game against Finland at the Helsinki Football Stadium on Tuesday (18:15 CEST kick-off). This morning, the team held their final session at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano ahead of their flight to the Finnish capital this afternoon.

The Azzurre’s first trip to Scandinavia this qualifying campaign - they’ll travel to face Norway on 31 May - provides an opportunity for Soncin’s side to build on their victory on Friday. Finishing this round of fixtures on maximum points would leave them six points ahead of the Finns and at least three points above the Oranje, who are considered the favourites to top the group. The top two in each of the four groups in League A will progress to the finals, which will take place in Switzerland in July 2025. The remaining slots will be contested over two rounds of home-and-away European Qualifiers play-offs.

Tomorrow evening, the Azzurre will add the finishing touches to their preparations at the stadium that will stage the 13th meeting between the two sides (five Italy wins, one Finland victory and six draws so far). The teams last faced each other on Finnish soil in 2010: back then, Pietro Ghedin’s Azzurre ran out 3-1 winners in Vantaa thanks to goals from Pamela Conti, Melania Gabbiadini and Alice Parisi. On the scoresheet for the hosts that day was Linda Sällström, who started Finland’s 4-0 defeat to Norway on Friday and is her country’s highest-ever goalscorer with 59 goals in 135 appearances.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina), Margot Shore (Hellas Verona);

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Sampdoria), Julie Piga (Milan), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus);

Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Barcelona), Aurora Galli (Everton), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Cecilia Prugna (Sassuolo), Emma Severini (Fiorentina);

Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Sassuolo), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Inter), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Martina Piemonte (Everton).

Fixtures, results and table: Group A1

Matchday one (5 April): ITALY 2-0 Netherlands, Norway 4-0 Finland

Table: Norway and ITALY 3, Netherlands and Finland 0

Matchday two (9 April): 18.15 CEST, Finland vs. ITALY (Helsinki); 20:45 CEST, Netherlands vs. Norway (Breda)

Matchday three (31 May, times and venues tbc): Norway vs. ITALY, Netherlands vs. Finland

Matchday four (4 June, times and venues tbc): ITALY vs. Norway, Finland vs. Netherlands

Matchday five (12 July, times and venues tbc): Netherlands vs. ITALY, Finland vs. Norway

Matchday six (16 July, times and venues tbc): ITALY vs. Finland, Norway vs. Netherlands