[Mhiz Rebecca]

In a footballing first, a woman will coach a male outfit in
Italy when former player Patrizia Panico takes the helm
of the national under-16 team. Rated the best female
footballer from Italy, Panico is assistant for the
under-16s but the head coach Daniel Zoratto is set to
take over the under-19 side temporarily, propelling her
into the top post for a spell.
"There are many walls still to break down," said the 42-
year-old Panico of the daily barriers women face in Italy,
which lags some other countries in Europe when it
comes to equality.
"But this will help them fall. To be the first woman to
coach a male side is a huge success for me," added
Panico, who scored 110 goals for Italy in a mammoth
204 international appearances.
The two games Panico will oversee while Zoratto is away
are against Germany on March 22nd and 24th.