A rundown of Juventus Women’s First Team’s 1-0 victory over Valerenga in the first group stage game of this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League. The Bianconere snatched all three points in Norway thanks to Sofia Cantore’s first half goal.
THE MATCH REPORT
At Oslo's Intility Arena, the first chance of the match fell to the home team: Karina Saevik found Janni Thomsen in the penalty area, but her effort on goal was blocked by Martina Lenzini. The Norwegians again came close to taking the lead through Olaug Tvedten who failed to find the back of the net midway through the first half. However, Sofia Cantore was on hand at the other end to break the deadlock just before the half-hour mark: Chiara Beccari drove towards the Valerenga penalty area before finding Cantore in the box who slotted her right-footed effort just inside the far post. Some amazing defensive heroics by Barbara Bonansea, the first of which was an exceptional block before making a goal line headed clearance shortly afterwards, maintained the Bianconere’s advantage. Cantore then had the chance to extend Juve’s lead, but saw her powerful effort from the edge of the area fly just over the crossbar.
At the beginning of the second half, the Norwegian side started to apply pressure to Pauline Peyraud-Magnin’s goal, but the Bianconere shot stopper was quick off her line and agile between the sticks to deny Saevik’s dangerous effort. Juve’s first chance of the second period fell to Amalie Vangsgaard who fired over the crossbar from a good position having been teed up by Estelle Cascarino. Vangsgaard came close yet again later in the half after she latched onto Cristiana Girelli’s long throw before forcing the defender into a last-ditch challenge. With just eight minutes left on the clock, Viola Calligaris made a critical goal line block to prevent Sara Horte’s header from finding the back of the net. Valerenga goalkeeper Tove Enblom did well at the other end to deny Vangsgaard. The last chance of the match fell to Emma Stolen Godo who beat Cascarino to the ball, but she was unable to direct her header goalwards. Massimiliano Canzi’s team triumph in Oslo after a closely fought Champion’s League encounter!
COACH MASSIMILIANO CANZI’S COMMENTS
“We won three very important points tonight. We knew the high level of our opponent, they are a very good Champions League team, who have scored a lot of goals this season and are very strong physically. We knew it would be difficult and it was a tough match, we had chances and we usually score a lot of goals. We should have put the game to bed earlier, but today it was important to win and start the group stage in the best possible way.”
SOFIA CANTORE ’S THOUGHTS
“I am very happy with the win because it was a difficult match and they are a very organised team. We are very happy with the three points, now we are ready to once again focus on the league this weekend. It is important to start with three points because it is a difficult group, so we have to concentrate fully in every game. Valerenga are a very good team both physically and tactically, we knew about them from watching a lot of videos and we knew it would be a tough game. We were not surprised by their ability.”
AMALIE VANGSGAARD’S REACTION
“It is really important to start the Champions League group stage with a win, we have many matches coming up in the next few weeks and we need the three points to keep our momentum going. All the matches are difficult in this group, regardless of the opponent: this is the direction in which women's football is going, there are no easy groups and there are no easy matches. Valerenga are a very good team, they are good from set pieces and delivering crosses, they have many tall players and so they execute those types of moves well. However, we defended very well.”
VALERENGA 0-1 JUVENTUS WOMEN
Intility Arena, Wednesday 9 October, 2024 at 21:00 (CEST)
UWCL Group Stage: Matchday One
Goals: 29’ Cantore (J)
Home Team: Enblom, Horte, Thorsnes, Sandnes Olsen, Thomsen, Brekken (72’ Vickius), Bjelde, Heidarsdottir, Stolen Godo, Saevik, Tvedten.
Unused Substitutes: Kovacs, Lindwall, Sesay, Arnesen, Enger, Erichsen, Grinde-Hansen.
Coach: Nils Lexerod.
Away Team: Payraud Magnin, Lenzini, Calligaris, Cascarino, Bergamaschi, Caruso (87’ Kullberg), Bennison (65’ Schatzer), Bonansea (65’ Girelli), Cantore (77’ Rosucci), Vangsgaard, Beccari (65’ Thomas).
Unused Substitutes: Gama, Lehmann, Bragonzi, Ferraresi, Capelletti, Gallo, Proulx.
Coach: Massimiliano Canzi.
Referee: Sandra Bastos
Assistants: Sandrine Goncalves Santos, Catia Tavares
Fourth Official: Teresa Oliveira
Bookings: 62’ Horte (V)
Next Match:
Juventus Women-AS Roma
Women’s Serie A
Sunday, 13 October 2024 at 15:30 (CEST)
Allianz Stadium