Juventus Women made light work of Pink Bari in their Coppa Italian clash at Stadio Vito Simone Veneziani on Sunday, beating the hosts 4-1 to qualify for a second cup quarter-final in the space of three days.
Riding on the momentum from their historic UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final qualification, the Bianconere were looking to do the very same in their domestic cup competition, knowing victory over Sunday’s opponents would place them top of Group E and secure their passage into the next round.
Joe Montemurro’s charges laid siege on the Pink Bari goal from the start, Amanda Nilden, Agnese Bonfantini and Annahita Zamanian all producing early attempts on goal which kept opposition goalkeeper Margot Schorr on her toes from the start.
The shackles were broken 17 minutes in, Zamanian picking out Bonfantini who dribbled with the ball on the edge of the area before unleashing a superb left-footed rocket that rippled the back of the net to put the visitors in front.
An unfortunate injury to Cecilia Salvai meant an early change for the Bianconere, Elisa Pfattner replacing her teammate on 24 minutes, the substitute forcing Schorr into a diving save ten minutes later after her deflected shot caught the Bari shot-stopper wrong-footed.
Juve continued to pour forward, and doubled their lead in first-half added time, Nilden mimicking Bonfantini’s opener with a left-foot rocket of her own to make it 2-0.
Barely a minute into the second stanza, Arianna Caruso had a chance to add her name to the scoresheet, but mis hit her volley on goal. She would make amends just four minutes later, connecting with Bonfantini’s square pass to stroke home her side’s third.
Midway through the second-half, Pink Bari would bring a goal back, Renate Fedotova rising highest from a corner to make it 3-1. Yet the hosts’ joy was short-lived as Bonfantini bagged her brace soon after, fine work by Nilden down the left finding her teammate in the box who stroked the ball into the net for the Bianconere’s fourth left-footed finish of the game.
Despite the three-goal cushion, the Juve attack continued to threaten, Andrea Staskova fashioning a number of opportunities, but unable to add the finishing touch.
With ten minutes to go, 18-year-old Nicole Arcangeli was added to the fray, the youngster making her first team debut as her side looked to see out the game.
And that they did with ease, an 8-1 victory over Roma CF coupled with this 4-1 victory in Bari ensuring maximum points and top spot in the group, and safe passage to the quarter-finals of this season’s Coppa Italia Femminile.
PINK BARI 1-4 JUVENTUS (HT: 0-2)
SCORERS: Fedotova 69’; Bonfantini 17’, 73’, Nilden 45+2’, Caruso 50’
Juventus: Aprile, Hyyrynen, Salvai (Pfattner 24’), Lenzini, Boattin (Arcangeli 78’), Rosucci (Giai 67’), Zamanian, Caruso (Beccari 67’), Bonfantini, Staskova, Nilden
Unused substitutes: Soggiu, Lundorf, Pedersen, Bonansea.
Pink Bari: Schorr, Maffei, Di Bari, Di Criscio, Riboldi, Strisciuglio (Nefrou 74’), Bonaccini, Sudik (Labianca 90+4’), Laface (Fedotova 64’) Celmetti, Spiridonidu.