Euro 2025: Portugal stays alive after 89th-minute goal in draw with Italy

GENEVA (AP) — Portugal desperately pressed Italy to find a goal to stay alive at the Women’s European Championship and finally got it in the 89th minute from Diana Gomes to secure a 1-1 draw.

The result on Monday sent Spain into the quarterfinals from Group B after its earlier 6-2 rout of Belgium which was eliminated from contention.

Italy was minutes from joining Spain in the quarterfinals with a lead taken in the 70th on captain Cristiana Girelli’s high-class curling shot from 20 meters.

“The mood of the team is strong, we're not devastated,” said Girelli, describing her 59th international goal as one of her best. “It would have been great to win in this way.”

Only when Portugal was heading to an early exit did its attacks start to fire. Diana Silva’s 80th-minute goal was ruled out for an offside spotted after a two-minute video review.

Then Portugal was denied by the crossbar in the 89th when Carole Costa’s firm header rebounded. But the ball was recycled down the left flank and Gomes met a low cross with a looping shot that eluded Laura Giuliani's dive.

“There was a great emotional reaction from them,” Italy coach Andrea Soncin said of the Portugal fightback.

Italy is still favored to advance, moving up to four points in the group standings. That is three clear of Portugal but also six better in goal difference which is now the tiebreaker between the two.

"Destiny is still in our hands," Girelli said, looking to Friday’s final round when Italy plays Spain and Portugal faces Belgium. Portugal must find its scoring touch and likely hope free-scoring Spain can beat Italy heavily.

“It’s easier right now because on the psychological side we have momentum,” Portugal coach Francisco Neto said.

The frenetic ending was dramatically different to a lackluster first half and poor quality in Portugal's play to that point.

Portugal may face Belgium without defender Ana Borges, who was sent off five minutes into stoppage time.

Portugal gave a start to star playmaker Kika Nazareth less than four months after surgery on her left ankle. She had more influence as the game wore on despite her lack of game time.

It was a first half of honest endeavor and too little creativity that sparked a wave around the stadium by both sets of cheerful but restless fans. It rounded the stadium four times and restarted in the 65th.

In a pre-game tribute to Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, the Portuguese players wore warmup jerseys with his name on the back.

Portugal also wore black armbands during the game to honor the man whose death in a car crash was announced last Thursday, on the morning of the team's 5-0 loss to Spain.

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Referee Ivana Martincic shows a red card after a second yellow to Portugal's Ana Borges, center, during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italy's Cristiana Girelli reacts after failing to score during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Portugal players wear shirts with the name of Portugal international and Liverpool player Diogo Jota who died recently, during warmup before the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

A Portugal fan holds a Liverpool scarf with a picture of Portugal international and Liverpool player Diogo Jota who died recently, before the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The players watch the ball hit the crossbar after a header from Italy's Cecilia Salvai, right, during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italy's Emma Severini tries to tackle Portugal's Tatiana Pinto during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italy players run celebrating to teammate Cristiana Girelli after she scored the opening goal during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Portugal's Diana Gomes, left, celebrates after scoring her side's first goal during the Euro 2025 group B soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Italy's Cristiana Girelli celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Italy at Stade de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)