13 May 2024
Juventus Women brought down the curtain on their first home campaign at Biella in impressive fashion on Monday evening with the Bianconere beating Roma 3-1.
Sofia Cantore was at her very best and bagged herself a brace, with Joe Echegini putting the final touches on the win with the last kick of the game. Evelyne Viens had scored for Roma to make things 1-1 earlier in the second half.
THE MATCH
Juventus started on the front foot and it didn’t take long for them to find themselves in front through Cantore. Having been put through on goal by Barbara Bonansea, Sofi made no mistake in firing past Camelia Ceasar with a thumped effort at the near post.
The Bianconere kept pushing and Cantore remained central to everything they looked to do, clearly going in search of her second goal. Julia Grosso came closest in the first half though with a stunning strike from range that was just too high and hit the crossbar.
And so Juventus went in with a deserved lead at the break. After the restart, though, Roma and Viens levelled within three minutes after being found by substitute Emilie Haavi.
The hosts reacted well and immediately went looking to restore the lead lost. With Cantore and Bonansea trying to find that second goal, Ceasar was doing well to keep them out.
Cantore was determined though, and she drove her way through on goal from deep and when met with Ceasar at the edge of the Roma box, she dinked a delicate lob over the Giallorosse ‘keeper to put the Bianconere ahead once more.
Ceasar continued to frustrate Juventus though and pulled off an excellent save to deny Lineth Beerensteyn, while at the other end Viola Calligaris was marking her return from injury with an excellent performance that left Viens struggling for space.
The icing on the cake came with the final kick of the game as Joe Echegini fired into the top corner for Juventus’ third.
PAOLO BERUATTO’S POST-MATCH COMMENTS
“The girls worked well during the week and today we got the reward for that. We’re happy to have ended our season at home with a win, and I’m happy for Sofia’s brace; she’s finding form in front of goal. We have to end the season well with a view to next year. We’ve one more game to go, and we’ll work hard so that these two good wins aren’t spoiled.”
SOFIA CANTORE’S POST-MATCH COMMENTS
“We obviously want to end the season well and we wanted to end it well at home, so we’re happy with this win while regretting how the year went. We wanted to end things at home by having fun and putting on a show for our fans, especially against Roma whom we congratulate for winning the Scudetto. Personally I’m very happy with my brace, and I like the new shape we’ve been using because I can play closer to the goal and, as a result, I’m having more chances to score.”
ARIANNA CARUSO’S POST-MATCH COMMENTS
“I think our attitude won this game, we showed something we’d lacked a little this year. We’re happy with the win, but at the same time it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths because we could have done more over the last few months. I hope this win allows us to end this season well and start next year in the same way, with determination. I’ve played in a lot of positions this year, but I’m completely at the team’s disposal and always just try to give my all wherever I play.”
JUVENTUS WOMEN 3-1 ROMA
Goals: 6’ Cantore (J), 48' Viens (R), 61' Cantore (J), 96' Echegini (J)
Juventus: Aprile, Calligaris, Lenzini, Cascarino, Boattin, Bonansea (C) (77' Thomas), Gunnarsdottir, Caruso, Grosso (62' Beerensteyn), Girelli (62' Echegini), Cantore (77' Bragonzi).
Unused subs: Gama, Cafferata, Palis, Peyraud-Magnin, Pelgander.
Coach: Paolo Beruatto.
Roma: *Minami, Di Guglielmo (72' Bartoli), Viens, Kumagai (57' Giugliano) Giacinti (72' Tomaselli), Ceasar, Glionna (40’ Haavi), Greggi (57' Troelsgaard) Sonsetvold, Feiersinger, Linari (C).
Unused subs: Korpela, Veldezate, Ciccotti, Pellegrino Cimo.
Coach: Alessandro Spugna.
Referee: Cristiano Ursini
Assistants: Cosimo Schirinzi, Luca Bernasso
Fourth official: Pietro Marinoni
Bookings: 82' Viens (R), 93' Bragonzi (J)
