JUVENTUS WOMEN RECORDS A SERIE A WINNING STREAK

As the final whistle went off at the Ale & Ricky Pitch in the Juventus Training Centre, it was obvious how much Fiorentina cherished the one point they would be going back home with, such that the fact that they were 2-0 up at some point in the game mattered little. While for the home team, whose record 36-game winning streak in the Serie A has been snapped, it was more of two points lost. However, both sides really fought for what they got. The match finally ended 2-2.

The league leaders, who are chasing an unprecedented fifth title, dominated the opening exchanges of the encounter and had the chance to take the lead on 10 minutes but Amanda Nilden’s left-footed effort hit the side netting.

OPENER However, four minutes later, against the run of play, Fiorentina were ahead. After receiving a backpass from  Lina Hurtig, Juventus goalkeeper Roberta Aprile was constantly pressured by Daniela Sabatino into making a rushed clearance that fell nicely for Valentina Giacinti. The three-time Serie A Femminile top goalscorer, who joined Fiorentina on loan from AC Milan in January, lobbed the ball an empty net for her first goal in Viola colours, which turned out to also be the first goal Aprile has conceded as a Bianconera.

Joe Montemurro’s side seemed too startled to figure out a response as the visitors extended their lead in the 33^rd minute thanks to captain Sara Gama’s own goal.

It was not until the final seconds of the first half that Juve pulled one back when Valentina Cernoia’s shot from 20 yards nestled in the top right corner of Sabrina Tasselli’s goal.

COMEBACK The Bianconere were desperate for an equaliser in the second half and they got it after Tuija Annika Hyyrynen’s cross from the right met Arianna Caruso, who volleyed from close range. The remaining minutes of the game saw end-to-end action, but there were no more goals. In their previous four away meetings in Turin prior to Saturday’s game, Fiorentina had failed to score while conceding eight, so scoring two goals this time definitely means a lot.

With nine games remaining, Juventus’ lead has shrunk a bit as they are now only six points clear of Sassuolo in the table.

SPECTATORS As announced on January 14, only the press and those invited by the Juventus were allowed access to see the game “by virtue of the new provisions regarding the reduced capacity relating to the number of spectators present at a sports facility in order to prevent and contain Covid-19 infections”. And the atmosphere was indeed lacking the chants of fans as just a monotonous “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé, Juve, Juve” could be heard at intervals through the speakers.

THE HURTIGS After the game, the Juventus team were applauded by those present at the stadium, some of whom where family members, including Swedish footballer Lisa Hurtig, wife of Lina, who came with their daughter to see the game. The couple shared a kiss after the match. Hurtig played for 73 minutes before she was substituted.

ALE & RICKY Behind the press and guests stand is a photo of Alessio Ferramosca and Riccardo Neri, the two teenagers who died on December 15, 2006 in Vinovo. The pitch on which Juventus Women and the younger Bianconeri play is named after them. The two players in the youth team (a striker and goalkeeper) drowned in an ice-cold lake inside the club’s sports centre as they were trying to retrieve a football. Juventus’s Serie B game at home to Cesena that night was postponed because of the unfortunate incident and Juventus have continued to pay tribute to them ever since.

 

Source: AIPS