24 March 2019
Juventus Women moved four points clear at the top of the Serie A Femminile table by claiming a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina. The Bianconere were denied twice by the woodwork, but that didn’t stop them from claiming all three points.
It was a beautifully sunny day for the Première at Allianz Stadium, with up to 39 000 spectators present for the first ever Juventus Women’s match at the iconic ground.
Rita Guarino’s women came close to taking the lead in the sixth minute of the game when Girelli fired in a powerful shot that was turned away by Durante and onto the crossbar. Aluko tried to follow it up but the Fiorentina defence held strong.
In the 15th minute, Boattin made an excellent run from the heart of the midfield to intercept a Fiorentina pass. She ran towards goal and burst into the box, only for the ball to be stolen away at her feet.
As the fixture approached the half hour mark, both teams were undertaking a calculated and calm approach to their build-up play, with neither side having tested the opposite goalkeeper.
Bonansea had one of the best chances of the half when she let off high-flying shot from range that sailed over the visitor’s goal mouth. Fiorentina’s first real effort towards goal came in the 42nd minute when Bonetti glanced in a header towards goal, but it never tested Giuliani as it sailed wide of the posts.
After the break, Girelli came agonisingly close again when she connected to the end of a cross inside the box, which saw her glancing header rattle the crossbar once again! Just as the game was picking up momentum, Salvai was forced into an early substitution after she was stretchered off in tears and was replaced by Panzeri.
Fiorentina had their own effort strike the woodwork in the 68th minute of the game, when Guagni’s ball bounced on the line of Giulani’s goal. Moments later, Breitner received the ball at her feet inside the box, but her low shot was easy pickings for the Bianconere goalkeeper.
With 12 minutes to go, Guarino introduced Caruso up front in place of Aluko. As the game wore on, space was becoming increasingly available and Fiorentina’s defence left gaping holes in their backline, which resulted in the hosts taking the lead when a ball sailed into the box and over Durante. The Viola goalkeeper was off her line and it allowed for Pedersen to nod home into the back of an empty net.
Bonansea nearly wrapped up the three points by doubling the lead in the closing minutes of the game when she went a great breakthrough but saw her effort fire wide of the goal. Pedersen’s goal was to be enough though, as Juventus wrapped up a crucial 1-0 victory
Juventus Women XI: Giuliani; Hyyrynen, Gama, Salvai (Panzeri 66’), Boattin; Galli, Pedersen, Cernoia (Sikora 88’); Aluko (Caruso 77’), Girelli, Bonansea
Substitutes: Bacic, Panzeri, Cantone, Glionna, Ekroth, Caruso, Sikora
Fiorentina Women XI: Durante, Guagni, Agard, Tortelli, Philthens, Adami (Catena 90’), Breitner, Parisi, Vigilucci, Bonetti, Mauro (Clelland 80’).
Substitutes: Ohrstrom, Jaques, Catena, Ripamonti, Kongouli, Clelland, Fusini
