Juventus Women missed out on the first trophy of the season when they were defeated on penalties by Roma in the Super Cup.
There was nothing to split Italy's two best teams, neither after 90 nor 120 minutes of a hard fought contest at the Tardini stadium in Parma.
Eventually, the match was decided in favour of the Giallorosse on the 10th and final spot kick.
THE MATCH
Straight from kick off both sides demonstrated that they were keen to play attacking football. In the third minute, Juve’s search for an early goal saw Barbara Bonansea burst into the penalty area. The winger looked for Arianna Caruso, who was blocked before she could release her shot.
Roma responded through their lone striker, Valentina Giacinti, who was denied her first chance on 11’ when Pauline Peyraud-Magnin intercepted Manuela Giuliano’s cross.
Eight minutes later the Roma number nine opened the scoring. Giacinti found herself in the path of a shot from teammate Emilie Haavi, but reacted quickly to drive the ball under Peyraud-Magnin.
Juventus came close to drawing level with 10 minutes of the first half remaining. Not for the only time in the game, Lisa Boattin went for goal direct from a free kick, but the full-back’s effort crashed off the crossbar.
With the last kick of the opening period, Juventus futher signalled their intent to cancel the one goal deficit. Lineth Beerensteyn broke down the right and played a cross into the middle of the area, where Cristiana Girelli was waiting, but the number 10 swept her shot over the crossbar.
At the start of the second half, the Bianconere upped the tempo and pressed higher, pinning the Giallorosse inside their own half.
Beerensteyn caused panic in the Roma defence when she dribbled her way to the edge of the six-yard box only for her shot to be blocked by Ceasar.
On the hour the Bianconere produced the equaliser. Boattin eyed up another free kick and this time from a more difficult angle bent the ball high into the far corner.
Juve attempted to take advantage of the moment and complete the turnaround when Caruso played a pass into the path of Girelli. Bearing in on goal, the striker dragged her shot wide.
After a spate of substitutions by both teams, the Bianconere took grip of proceedings again. A cross from the left from the tireless Boattin was not dealt with by Ceasar but the Roma keeper somehow recovered to tip away Agnese Bonfantini's volley.
In the final minutes of normal time, Ceasar produced three huge saves to deny Juve. First Martina Rosucci tried her luck from the edge of the area, then Bonfantini burst into the area and finally Girelli had a close range header, but every time the Roma goalkeeper denied the Bianconere.
It was the Juve keeper, however, that produced the one outstanding save in extra time when at the start of the second period she blocked the close range shot from Benedetta Glionna.
The teams cancelled each other out for the remainder of extra time, leaving the desination of the Super Cup to be decided on penalties.
Still tied after eight penalties, with Glionna skying her effort only for Girelli to see her shot saved immediately after, Haavi converted Roma's fifth spot kick. Sofia Cantore had the chance to take penalties into sudden death but once again Ceasar produced the save to break Bainconere hearts
JUVENTUS WOMEN 1-1 (3-4 PENS) ROMA A.E.T. (HT: 0-1) (FT: 1-1)
SCORERS: 19’ Giacinti (R), 60′ Boattin (J).
PENALTIES: Giugliano (R), Boattin (J), Linari (R), Sembrant (J), Glionna (R) (missed), Girelli (J) (saved), Lazaro (R), Cernoia (J), Haavi (R), Cantore (J) (saved).
JUVENTUS: Peyraud-Magnin; Lenzini (120′ Lundorf) , Salvai, Sembrant, Boattin; Caruso (64′ Cantore), Pedersen (120′ Zamanian), Grosso (64′ Rosucci); Bonansea (76′ Bonfantini), Girelli, Beerensteyn (76′ Cernoia). Subs not used: Aprile, Forcinella, Duljan. Coach: Montemurro.
ROMA: Ceasar; Bartoli, Linari, Wenninger, Minami; Greggi (120′ Cinotti), Giugliano; Serturini (64′ Glionna), Andressa (112′ Roman Haug), Haavi; Giacinti (78′ Lazaro). Subs not used: Lind, Cinotti, Landstrom, Glionna, Ferrara, Kollmats. Coach: Spugna.
Referee: Marotta.
BOOKINGS: 33′ Andressa (R), 51′ Salvai (J), 57′ Minami (R), 89′ Wenninger (R), 98′ Lazaro (R).