The 2022/23 league season ended on a high for Juventus Women, who recorded a convincing 5-2 victory over Scudetto champions Roma at home, as goals from Paulina Nyström, Cristiana Girelli, Valentina Cernoia, Sofia Cantore and Sofie Pedersen saw out the season with a well-deserved victory. It was an extra special goal for Danish midfielder Pedersen, who found the back of the net in her last appearance at home in a Juventus jersey.
The result gives Juve a major confidence boost ahead of next weekend's Italian Cup final against the very same opponents.
THE MATCH
It didn't take long for the goal-mouth action to start: in just the 11th minute, the first real opportunity of the match fell to Arianna Caruso who lashed a strike goalwards from just inside the penalty area, but it flew just wide – an early warning sign from the hosts.
Roma responded immediately, a swerving Ciccotti effort from range ricocheting off the crossbar to signal the visitor’s intent. But it would be the Bianconere who struck first: Martina Lenzini launched a ball forward from deep for Nystrom to control and carry goalwards, the Swede firing past the Roma keeper to open the scoring.
Two minutes later and the lead was almost doubled, Caruso missing the mark by mere centimetres as the hosts look to carry their momentum forward. On 23 minutes, the second did arrive, and from none other than the perennial goal-getter Girelli, a superbly taken left-footed strike – her eighth against Roma across all competitions – extending the Bianconere’s advantage.
Joe Montemurro’s charges would not let up, and on 40 minutes, there was further daylight between the two sides as Cernoia stepped up to take a perfect free-kick, her strike dipping over the wall and into the bottom corner, 3-0.
It was a deserved lead for Juve, who after two minutes of added time, strode confidently into the tunnel with a healthy half-time lead.
And it was more of the same at the start of the second half: Cantore, who had been a pain in Roma's side throughout the first half, had a shot saved on 49 minutes, but made sure just five minutes later, first swivelling and then unleashing an unstoppable strike with her right foot to make it 4-0.
A slight dip in concentration allowed the visitors a sniff: first, on 70 minutes, Minami fired past Roberta Aprile to pull a goal back, before Haug got the better of Camilla Forcinella – who had just come on as a substitute – five minutes later to further reduce the deficit.
Yet the goals continued to rain in for the Bianconere in front of their adoring fans, and who else but Pedersen, in her final game at Vinovo, to get the fifth, slotting in from close range, her strike met with jubilation by her teammates, the bench and the boisterous home crowd.
Juve were able to comfortably see out the game, the final scoreline reading 5-2: a strong finish to the league season, with next week’s Italian Cup final in Salerno in sight.
COACH MONTEMURRO
"This victory is an important signal for us because over the last few weeks we hadn't expressed our game at its best. We are undoubtedly happy with this win because it will help us prepare for the Italian Cup final on Sunday [4 June], where we will give everything to be able to bring home a trophy again this season. It won't be easy and we know it, but regardless of how the final against Roma goes, I feel like saying that the girls have been fantastic because it hasn't been an easy year. This year has been very important for us, it has been a year of growth and as I said, regardless of the result of the match against the Giallorosse, I will applaud this group for the work they have done."
JUVENTUS WOMEN 5-2 ROMA (HT: 3-0)
SCORERS: 16’ Nystrom (J), 23’ Girelli (J), 40’ Cernoia (J), 54’ Cantore (J), 70' Minami (R), 74’ Haug (R), 79’ Pedersen (J)
JUVENTUS: Aprile (71’ Forcinella), Simon (57’ Sembrant), Lenzini, Salvai, Nildén, Pedersen, Caruso (71’ Grosso), Cernoia (63’ Gunnarsdóttir), Cantore, Girelli (63’ Duljan), Nyström. Unused subs: Gama, Bonansea, Boattin, Beerensteyn. Coach: Montemurro.
ROMA: Ohstrom, Minami, Cinotti, Landstrom, Losada (67’ Greggi), Ciccotti, Selerud (46’ Serturini), Haug, Bergersen (67’ Di Guglielmo), Kollmats, Kramzar (46’ Glionna). Unused subs: Cesar, Giugliano, Wenninger, Petrara, Pellegrino Cimò. Coach: Spugna.
Referee: Andreano