Serie A Femminile: Matchday eight round-up
Juve win again
Juventus continued their 100% start to the Serie A season, with a 1-0 victory away to Sampdoria. Although the defending champions dominated the encounter, they had to be patient, and the winner eventually came in the 75th minute. Valentina Cernoia played a quick one-two with Amanda Nildén, and the 30-year-old made no mistake in firing the ball low into the bottom corner to register her fourth goal of the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesSassuolo get back on track
After losing their first game of the season to Roma last week, Sassuolo bounced back with an impressive 4-2 victory over Pomigliano, to stay in touch with league leaders Juventus.
Benedetta Brignoli opened the scoring when she volleyed home Haley Bugeja’s clipped cross. The hosts doubled their advantage before half-time, with Scotland international Lana Clelland firing home from inside the area.
After a disappointing first half, Pomigliano responded seven minutes into the second period, when Deborah Salvatori Rinaldi flicked on a corner kick into the path of Danielle Cox, who guided the ball past Diede Lemey. Spurred on from pulling a goal back, the visitors restored parity five minutes later, with a goalmouth scramble resulting in Brignoli putting the ball into her own net.
Sassuolo knew that if they harbour any realistic ambitions of challenging Juventus, then they couldn’t afford to drop more points, and they were given an opportunity to retake the lead in the 79th minute, when Aivi Luik hacked down Kamila Dubcová in the area. The Czech Republic international picked herself up to dispatch the spot-kick and the win was secured, when Sofia Cantore’s ambitious long-range effort found the net. From what must have been at least 35 yards, Cantore spotted Sara Cetinja off her line and duly let fly with the ball flying over the Pomigliano goalkeeper’s head.
Embed from Getty ImagesVerona and Lazio are still winless
Hellas Verona entered the weekend with just a single point to their name, and they were unable to add to their tally after suffering a demoralising defeat at home to Roma. The side from the Italian capital were three goals to the good at the interval. Paloma Lázaro opened the scoring, by flicking home Benedetta Glionna’s cross. Manuela Giugliano grabbed Roma’s second with her shot finding the net, despite Fanny Keizer getting a hand to the effort. Verona’s misery continued, when the visitors were awarded a penalty after Aurora De Sanctis handled in the area. Brazil international Andressa stepped up to send Keizer the wrong way.
The rout was completed in the second half, with Annamaria Serturini keeping her composure to fire home in the 59th minute, before Lazaro grabbed a brace lifting the ball over Keizer to wrap up the scoring. Roma now reside in fourth place after clinching consecutive victories.
Lazio are still waiting for their first points of the season after losing to Napoli in stoppage time. Napoli took the lead through Kaja Eržen, whose effort curled away from Serena Natalucci. However, the hosts drew level only four minutes later, when Adriana Martin scored from the spot after Noemi Visentin had been brought down in the area. The momentum swung in the home side’s favour and they duly went ahead moments after their equaliser, when Rachel Cuschieri caressed the ball into the bottom corner.
Eleonora Goldoni restored parity in the 58th, with a sublime long-distance effort, but Lazio were awarded another penalty ten minutes later, with Martin scoring once again. Although, their advantage did not last long, with Napoli awarded a penalty of their own minutes later, and Goldoni stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick to register her second goal of the encounter. With the contest seemingly heading towards a draw, Maddalena Porcarelli thumped the ball into the net in the third minute of stoppage time to clinch Napoli’s second victory of the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesResults elsewhere
Valentina Giacinti scored her seventh goal of the season to help AC Milan to a 1-0 victory, with the current Serie A top scorer’s strike proving to be enough to edge out Empoli.
Inter managed to collect three points after clinching a dramatic victory over Fiorentina. Tatiana Bonetti and Flaminia Simonetti gave Inter a two-goal lead, and Fiorentina’s disastrous first half was completed when Stephanie Breitner was sent off just before the interval. However, the hosts battled back and amazingly drew level courtesy of a Daniela Sabatino brace. Unfortunately for the hosts, their incredible second-half effort was all in vain, with Martina Brustia scoring in the third minute of stoppage time to steal all three points for Inter.
Embed from Getty ImagesMatchday eight results
Sampdoria 0-1 Juventus
Hellas Verona 1-5 Roma
Fiorentina 2-3 Inter
Sassuolo 4-2 Pomigliano
AC Milan 1-0 Empoli
Lazio 3-4 Napoli
