Juventus Women have secured second place, and with it, a spot in next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League, following an entertaining 3-3 draw against Milan in their Scudetto Phase league match-up at Vismara on Sunday afternoon.
FLYING START
With the Juventus substitutes having barely taken their seats on the bench following kick-off, their teammates on the field were already celebrating as Nystrom was on hand to score her first of the season, and the fastest goal in Juventus Women history, with just 11 seconds on the clock. From the referee’s whistle, Cantore received the ball and raced down the right flank, putting in a sumptuous ball which ricocheted off both Caruso and a Milan defender for the Swedish forward to head over Giuliani and give her side the perfect start.
Milan missed a guilt-edged chance to draw level a quarter of an hour in, Piemonte left with acres of space down the right and she bore down on Peyraud-Magnin’s goal, but could only chip her effort onto the roof of the net.
That effort would turn out to be the host’s best chance of the half, with one-way traffic in favour of the Bianconere as they pushed for a second goal. Goalscorer Nystrom was a constant threat throughout the half, having a shot blocked and mis-hitting another as she sought to add to her first-ever Juventus strike.
Juve’s pressure would pay off a minute before the break, Caruso playing in a ball from the left which found its way to the on-rushing Lenzini on the opposite flank, the defender connecting sweetly first-time to double her side’s lead.
MILAN FIGHTBACK
Milan’s intentions were clear from the start of the second stanza, Peyraud-Magnin forced into a flying save on Piemonte’s well-struck effort on 48 minutes. Two minutes later the hosts had their goal, winning the ball back from a goal kick as Piemonte collected the ball, dribbled through the centre of Juve’s defense and slotted home to reduce the deficit.
Just two minutes later, Milan found themselves level, Bergamaschi playing in a ball from the right-hand side for Vigilucci to rise highest and head in the home side’s equaliser.
That sparked Juventus Women back into gear as once again Nystrom looked the most dangerous, two opportunities falling her way in a matter of minutes, but the scoreboard remained unchanged.
The Swede’s persistence was eventually rewarded on 64 minutes as she gathered Cernoia’s perfectly-weighted ball through the middle of the Milan defense and made no mistake, her first brace in black and white secured as Juventus regained their lead.
The advantage was once again short-lived as Peyraud-Magnin failed to deal with Adami’s looping cross into the box, the ball finding it’s way back across into the small box for Dompig to head in the equaliser, 3-3.
Both sides attacked in the latter stages in search of a winner, the best chance falling to the Bianconere with four minutes to go as Bonansea teed up Caruso, whose effort on target was acrobatically cleared by Soffia, before Bonansea volleyed the resulting corner kick over the bar.
In the end, the spoils were shared, but a decisive point nonetheless for Juventus Women who mathematically secure qualification for European football next season.
MILAN 3-3 JUVENTUS (HT: 0-2)
SCORERS: 1’ Nystrom (J), 44’ Lenzini (J), 50’ Piemonte (M), 52’ Vigilucci (M), 64’ Nystrom (J), 66’ Domping (M)
MILAN: Giuliani, Andersen, Nouwen, Fusetti, Bergamaschi, Adami (83’ Mascarello), Dubcova K. (46’ Thomas), Grimshaw, Vigilucci, Piemonte, Domping (75’ Soffia). UNUSED SUBS: Sevenius, Carage, Fedele, Dubcova M., Crevacore, Babb. COACH: Ganz
JUVENTUS: Peyraud-Magnin, Lenzini, Salvai (46’ Nilden), Sembrant, Boattin, Gunnarsdottir, Caruso, Cernoia (69’ Pedersen), Bonansea, Nystrom, Cantore (83’ Duljan). UNUSED SUBS: Gama, Beerensteyn, Simon, Schatzer, Forcinella. COACH: Montemurro
Referee: Lovison