Serie A Femminile Week 11 Round-Up: Juventus humiliates Milan, Sassuolo slips and Roma derby victor
AC Milan slip to mid table after recording two consecutive heavy defeats
Reigning champions Juventus stretched their winning streak to 11 matches in 11 outings with a 5-2 thumping of AC Milan on Sunday.
AC Milan midfielder Greta Adami opened the scoring in the third minute before Juventus Czech forward Andrea Stašková made it one-all five minutes later. Forward Barbara Bonansea made it 2-1 for the hosts just after the half-hour mark.
Milan striker Valentina Giacinti had the chance to level matters for the visitors from the penalty spot in the 40th minute but the 27-year-old’s spot kick was saved by an in-form Pauline Peyraud Magnin.
“. . . we did well to gain confidence, to impose the game, bringing home the victory”
63rd minute substitute forward Miriam Longo made it 2-2 for the visitors six minutes after coming on, as the visitors appeared to be coming back into the contest.
The lifeline, however, was short-lived as the visitors conceded a penalty after Milan defender Guðný Árnadóttir handled the ball in the area. Defender Lisa Boattin converted the spot-kick in the 74th minute to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.
Stašková completed her brace with an 81st minute strike to give the hosts a comfortable 4-2 lead before 67th minute substitute forward Lina Hurtig made it 5-2 four minutes into second half extra time.
“. . . my girls are tired (they are giving a lot on the pitch) and we wanted to play a safer match and today Milan created some difficulties for us. I have to congratulate Milan who at times put us in difficulty, with their counterattacks, they hurt us.
“Then we did well to gain confidence, to impose the game, bringing home the victory”, Juventus coach Joe Montemurro was quoted as saying by Calcio Femminile Italiano after the match.
The victory sent Juventus eight points clear on top of the Serie A Femminile log. The defending champions have amassed 33 points from 11 wins while AC Milan, who slipped to fifth on the log with the defeat, have registered 22 points from seven wins and one draw in 11 contests.
Elsewhere, AS Roma came out 3-2 victors over Lazio in a Derby Della Capitale clash played on Sunday.
Roma forward Valeria Pirone opened the scoring for the hosts in the 25th minute before midfielder Vanessa Bernauer made it 2-0 three minutes later. Lazio pulled one back through forward Noemi Vesentin in the 35th minute.
Lazio levelled matters, making it 2-2 with a 59thminute penalty converted by Spanish forward Adriana Martin before forward Benedetta Glionna made it 3-2 for the hosts 17 minutes from time.
Roma, now with 25 points from 11 contests, rose to second on the log with the win, above Sassuolo, whom they dominate on goal difference, while Lazio remain on 11th place with three points from one win from the same number of outings.
Sassuolo drew two-all when they played Inter Milan away at the Felice Chinetti Stadium on Saturday.
Inter Cameroonian forward Ajara Njoya opened the scoring 12 minutes into the first half and the match went to half-time with the hosts in the lead.
On-loan Juventus forward Sofia Cantore equalised for Sassuolo with a 51st minute strike — taking her season’s goal tally to seven — before Czech midfielder Kamila Dubcová made it 2-1 for the visitors.
Inter forward Tatiana Bonetti levelled matters to 2-2 at the death of regulation time to earn the hosts a crucial point.
Sassuolo, with 25 points, slipped from second to third place on the log behind Roma, while Inter, with 22 points, rose from fifth to fourth above AC Milan on goal difference.
Fiorentina drew one-all with Empoli away in Tuscany on Saturday.
Fiorentina forward Daniela Sabatino opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to hand the visitors a crucial lead. The 36-year-old is now the current campaign’s top scorer with eight goals.
Empoli midfielder Norma Cinotti made it 1-1 six minutes later to hand the hosts a crucial point as the visitors recorded their first draw of the season.
With the draw, 12-point Empoli slipped from eighth to ninth place on the log, while Fiorentina remains on seventh place with 13 points.
Sampdoria edged Hellas Verona 2-1 away on Saturday.
Colombian midfielder Yoreli Rincon opened the scoring with a 34th minute strike and the match went to half time with the visitors in the lead.
Forward Stefania Tarenzi made it 2-0 in the 58thminute before forward Lineth Cedeño made it 2-1 for Verona one minute later.
Pomigliano registered their fourth win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Napoli on Saturday.
Forward Deborah Salvatori opened the scoring 11 minutes into the first half and the visitors went to half time trailing.
Forward Eleonora Goldoni made it one-all for the visitors in the 67th minute, before half-time substitute Dalila Ippólito made it 2-1 seven minutes from time to hand the hosts a crucial win.
Results (Saturday): Pomigliano 2 — 1 Napoli; Hellas Verona 1 — 2 Sampdoria; Inter Milan 2 — 2 Sassuolo
Results (Sunday): AS Roma 3 — 2 Lazio; Empoli 1 — 1 Fiorentina; Juventus 5 — 2 AC Milan
(Photo by Filippo Alfero - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)