11 February 2023
Take their anger onto the field of play was the request from Joe Montemurro as Juventus Women set out to transform their disappointment from last weekend's defeat to Milan into a positive performance against Fiorentina.
And that's exactly what the Bianconere did. Aggressive from kick-off, they dominated the match against the team in equal second place before the start of play.
Three goals without reply was the outcome, with the third and final goal a milestone in the black and white stripes for Cristiana Girelli.
THE MATCH
Juventus pinned their opponents inside their own half from the referee's whistle. Pressing high and moving the ball quickly, the Bianconere immediately piled the pressure on the Fiorentia defence.
The first chance fell to Lineth Beerensteyn, who was on the receiving end of a Martina Lenzini cross. The winger's shot lacked power but with just six minutes on the clock, it was proof that Joe Montemurro's side were focused and determined.
The opening goal would arrive on 20 minutes, only after Juve had created chances for Arianna Caruso and Cecilia Salvai, who came close with shots from the edge of the area.
It was from close range that the visitors broke the deadlock though. A corner from the right arrived at the far post. Linda Sembrant reached the ball first, but the important touch came from Salvai, who diverted the ball into the net despite the Fiorentina goalkeeper's brave attempt to keep it out.
The Bianconere did not sit back on their lead and came close to doubling their advantage before the end of the opening half.
Caruso forced a great save from Rachele Balde with a stinging effort before the Viola keeper did enough to block Beerensteyn, who had been played through the centre of the Viola defence.
In between Martina Rosucci produced one of her fast-becoming trademark sliding tackles to deny the hosts a sight on goal, leaving Pauline Peyraud-Magnin without a save of note in the first 45 minutes.
Juve displayed the same approach at the restart and with her second attempt in the second half, Beerensteyn doubled the lead.
A long ball played forward from Peyraud-Magnin on 58 minutes caught the home defence off guard. The Netherlands international's pace took her in behind the defensive line and one-on-one slotted the ball beyond Balde, who five minutes earlier had managed to block the number 18.
Not long after, a sweeping move of one-touch football carved open the home backline. This time the player bearing in on goal was Salvai, who couldn't reproduce the coolness in front of goal displayed by Beerensteyn and shot directly at the keeper.
Peyraud-Magnin was then called on to perform her duty in goal when with 20 minutes remaining, Fiorentina played through Michela Catena, who had been introduced just five minutes earlier, but one-on-one was thwarted by the Juventus goalkeeper.
Juve heeded the warning and set about finding the third goal that would ensure the three points. On 79' Lenzini let fly from the edge of the area. Balde with a finger tip touched the ball onto the crossbar. The rebound was headed wide by Cantore.
Then on 83' after some great footwork, Julia Grosso made space for herself inside the area. Her pinpoint cross picked out Cristiana Girelli, who nodded home a historic goal.
FIORENTINA 0-3 JUVENTUS WOMEN (HT: 0-1)
SCORERS: 20’ Salvai, 58’ Beerensteyn, 83’ Girelli
FIORENTINA: Baldi; Erzen, Tortelli, Agard, Jackmon (65′ Tucceri Cimini); Cafferata (65′ Catena), Johannsdottir (79‘ Mijatovic), Zamanian, Severini; Hammarlund (79‘ Longo), Kajan. Subs not used: Schroffenegger, Breitner, Parisi, Monnecchi, Boquete. Coach: Panico.
JUVENTUS: Peyraud-Magnin; Lenzini, Sembrant, Rosucci, Salvai; Caruso, Gunnarsdóttir (65′ Pedersen), Grosso (84‘ Duljan); Bonansea (65′ Cantore), Girelli (84‘ Nystrom), Beerensteyn. Subs not used: Aprile, Forcinella, Simon, Gama, Pfattner. Coach: Montemurro.
Referee: Ancora.
BOOKINGS: 23′ Johannsdottir, 44′ Erzen.
