Milan complete Juventus double as Roma increase gap: Serie A Femminile Week 16 Round Up

· AS Roma went eight points clear at the summit of the Serie A log with a win over Serie A newcomers Como with two matches to go before the championship round

Goals from Martina Piemonte and Lindsey Thomas were enough for AC Milan to complete back-to-back league wins over reigning champions Juventus with a 2-1 result away at the Juventus Centre Vinovo on Saturday.

Juventus full-back Lisa Boattin was shown a straight red card for handling the ball in the area at the stroke of half-time and Piemonte converted the resultant spot kick with a right footed shot into the bottom left corner to give Milan the lead into the break.

Forward Lineth Beerensteyn could have pulled one back for the hostesses in the 70th minute but her right footed shot from the centre of the box hit the left post.

“I have never talked about referees in my life – Joe Montemurro

Thomas doubled the lead for the visitors five minutes later with a left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box into the bottom left corner before 76th minute substitute defender Linda Sembrant pulled one back for the home team in the fourth minute of second half extra-time with a header from the centre of the box into the top right corner off an Arianna Caruso assist.

Juventus coach Joe Montemurro said that his troops created a lot of chances in the second half despite being down to 10-women and also appeared to refuse to comment on Boattin’s red card.

“The second half where there were 10 of us created a lot [of chances]; we had chances for a 1-1 draw. Luck does not exist in football, we have to be humble to understand that we have to score goals when we get there. I am sorry about the first half because we worked so hard this week.

“I have never talked about referees in my life. Milan were much more compact, we stayed too long and we suffered”, Montemurro told the Italian media.

“The goals are still there, this team somehow tries to do the best possible. The points are there, the pitch speaks volumes and we can look at the standings all day long. Roma are eight points [ahead], [so] we have to move forward and try to understand.”

He also said that the league has developed and there is now a higher level of competition which is very important.

“Juve is Juve, they have won everything in five years and therefore everyone is looking at this goal. I see a growing championship, the teams have made important choices, there is an important movement [and] you can be surprised by anyone. The top five have a high level. I am glad that there are teams that put you in difficulty, you have to be lucid”, he said.

On forward Agnese Bonfantini leaving for Sampdoria on loan, he said: "I am always sorry when a player leaves. I wish her to find what she was looking for and to find some continuity.”

Juventus are second on the standings on goal difference having registered 34 points from 10 wins and four draws in 16 outings whilst Milan remain fifth on 28 points from nine wins and a draw in the same number of contests.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina went level on points with Juventus following their 4-1 dispatching of Sampdoria away at the Campo Sportivo Tre Campanili, Bogliasco on Saturday.

Former Juventus midfielder Annahita Zamanian almost put the Florence side ahead just four minutes into the first half but her right footed shot from a direct free kick from outside the box crashed on the bar.

Former AC Milan forward Miriam Longo opened the scoring for the visitors on 29 minutes with a right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal with an assist from midfielder Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir before returning to complete her brace just three minutes later with a right footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom left corner off a Kaja Eržen assist.

Defender Tecla Pettenuzzo pulled one back for the hostesses on 57 minutes with a header from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner to make it 2-1 with an assist from midfielder Rachel Cuschieri before Bonfantini almost restored the visitors’ two goal lead when her right footed shot from outside the box hit the bar in the 59th minute.

Longo almost got her hat-trick in the 81st minute but her right footed shot from the left side of the box hit the bar.

BK Häcken import Pauline Hammarlund made it 3-1 to the visitors in the same minute with a right footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner with an assist from midfielder Alice Parisi.

Zamanian finally made it on the score sheet on 88 minutes when she fired a right footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner to round off the afternoon as Hammarlund registered her second goal involvement with an assist.

Fiorentina remain third on the standings on 34 points from 11 wins and a draw in 16 encounters whilst Sampdoria slipped to the bottom of the log on 10 points from three wins and a draw in the same number of ties.

AS Roma went eight points clear at the top of the Serie A following a 1-0 win away to Como on Saturday afternoon.

On-fire midfielder Andressa Alves scored the only goal for Alessandro Spugna’s side in the 26th minute with a right footed tap in finish from very close range into an empty net after pouncing on Valentina Giacinti’s rebound shot off the right post.

Roma are now on 42 points from 14 wins in 16 outings whilst Como are seventh on the standings on 11 points from two wins and five draws in the same number of encounters.

Inter kept pressure on the leading teams with a 3-0 win over troubled Sassuolo at home on Sunday.

Cameroonian forward Ajara Nchout Njoya opened the scoring for the hostesses nine minutes into the second half with a left footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner off a Ghoutia Karchouni assist before the latter went on the scoresheet herself just seven minutes later with a right footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner.

On-loan Malawian free-scoring forward Tabitha Chawinga capped off the performance for the hostesses in the third minute of second half extra-time with a left footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner after pouncing on a inch perfect Tatiana Bonetti back heeler.

The goal took Chawinga’s tally for the term to 13 as she consolidated her place at the top of the Serie A scorers’ charts.

Karchouni’s assist took her tally for the term to six as she became joint-top assist raker in the current Serie A campaign alongside Juventus’ Julia Grosso.

Inter remain fourth on the standings on 32 points from nine wins and five draws in 16 encounters whilst Sassuolo are eighth on 11 points from two wins and five draws in the same number of ties.

Parma held Pomigliano to a nil-all draw away at the Stadio Comunale Di Palma Campania on Saturday.

Parma moved from the bottom of the log to ninth place after the draw on goal difference having registered 10 points from three wins and a draw in 16 ties whilst Pomigliano remain sixth on 14 points from four wins and two draws in the same number of contests.

RESULTS: Saturday 04 February, 2023 (FC Como 0 – 1 AS Roma)

RESULTS: Saturday 04 February, 2023 (UC Sampdoria 1 – 4 ACF Fiorentina)

RESULTS: Saturday 04 February, 2023 (A.S.D Pomigliano 0 – 0 Parma Calcio)

RESULTS: Saturday 04 February, 2023 (Juventus 1 – 2 AC Milan)

RESULTS: Sunday 05 February, 2023 (Internazionale 3 – 0 US Sassuolo)