Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 team were defeated by a strong and ruthless Italian team in a Euro qualifier played in Italy.
Competition
UEFA WU19 Euro 2026 qualifiers (League A Group 6)
Scoreline
Italy WU19s 10-1 Northern Ireland WU19s
Scorers
Italy: Rosanna Ventriglia (3’, 53’, 81’), Giulia Galli (8’, 56’), Eleonora Ferraresi (45’+3), Caterina Venturelli (48’, 83’), Paola Taddei (73’, 90’+3)
Northern Ireland: Lidia Consolini OG (61’)
Venue
Stadio Ettore Mannucci, Pontedera
Date
26 November 2025
Team News
This week, and next week, Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 team are in Italy where they are competing in League A in the first stage of qualifiers for UEFA WU19 Euro 2026.
They are facing Italy, Switzerland and Belarus in Group A6.
Women’s Under-19 boss Gail Redmond has chosen a 20-strong squad for the three games. It includes midfielder Mia Moore, who made her senior debut last month, along with goalkeepers Abbie Smith and Kate Smith, who have both had senior call-ups this year.
How it happened
In what was their first group game Northern Ireland had the first chance of the game when Mia Moore forced a save out of Italy keeper Giulia Mazzocchi.
However, they were two down within 10 minutes. Firstly, in the third minute, defender Martina Tosello played in forward Rosanna Ventriglia and she applied the finish, and then another striker, Giulia Galli, slotted the ball home five minutes later.
Northern Ireland did not let the heads drop though. Gracie Conway steered an effort wide before Italy had a couple of attempts blocked. And Ellen Hampton had a shot blocked just after the half-hour mark.
Abbie Smith kept out a Ventriglia strike, and Galli dragged an effort wide, as Italy pushed forward towards the end of the half.
Attacker Elena Vitale and midfielder Gabriella Langella missed opportunities before Italy made it 3-0 in added time when Vitale teed up midfielder Eleonora Ferraresi and she guided the ball into the net.
Half-time: Italy WU19s 3-0 Northern Ireland WU19s
Italy made it four just after the restart when substitute Caterina Venturelli tapped the ball home from close range.
Smith then saved from Galli before Tosello provided the assist as Ventriglia grabbed her second of the game on 53 minutes.
Two minutes later Italy scored again. This time Galli ran from deep and coolly slotted the ball past Smith for her second goal of the match.
Northern Ireland pulled one back when Rhianna Breen’s low cross was turned into her own net by Italian defender Lidia Consolini.
Smith saved a header from substitute Benedetta Bedini before another Italian sub, Paola Taddei, got on the end of a Bedini cross into the area and steered the ball into the net with her shoulder to make it 7-1.
Ventriglia notched up her hat-trick when she got on the end of a clearance and blasted the ball low and hard into the net, and then Venturelli tucked home another clearance to increase Italy’s lead further. Taddie put the icing on the cake for the Italians in added time.
Northern Ireland will be back at the same venue in Tuscany on Saturday (29 November) to face Switzerland (10.30am GMT start).
Full-time: Italy WU19s 10-1 Northern Ireland WU19s
Line-ups
Italy WU19s: Giulia Mazzocchi, Lidia Consolini, Martina Tosello, Carolina Bertora, Sofia Verrini, Maya Cherubini (captain), Eleonora Ferraresi, Gabriella Langella, Rosanna Ventriglia, Giulia Galli, Elena Vitale.
Substitutes: (used) Caterina Venturelli, Benedetta Bedini, Paola Taddei, Elisa Bertero, Giulia Robino; (unused) (unused) Irene Bucci (GK), Emma Lombardi, Elisa Bonanomi, Greta Zanoni.
Northern Ireland WU19s: Abbie Smith, Kellie Horner, Tara Kerr, Anastasija Stanite, Ellen Hampton, Darcie McNeill (captain), Rhianna Breen, Niamh Boothroyd, Gracie Conway, Mia Moore, Clodagh Maguire.
Substitutes: (used) Mia Reilly, Daisy Conway, Zara Boyd, Zoe Knox, Laura Dowey; (unused) Kate Smith, Eva Myles, Lucy Kelly, Jessica McGuinness.
