Juventus Women started 2020 in stellar fashion when they put five goals past Tavagnacco to secure a 1-5 away win in Trieste at Nereo Rocco Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was the first game back for the Bianconere following a month off, and it boasted quite the occasion for captain Sara Gama, who took to the field in her hometown of Trieste. Laura Giuliani was the notable absentee, as she remained in Turin due to flu.
The first chance of the game fell to Girelli in the 18th minute when the striker pounced on a poor clearance and nodded it towards goal, but it was saved. That sparked a counterattack by Tavagnacco, and they took the lead through Chandarana who beat Linda Sembrant inside the box. Juventus were awarded a penalty in the 32nd minute when Cernoia was fouled inside in the box by Kunisawa. Girelli stood up to take the spot kick and she sent the goalkeeper in the wrong direction to turn the scoreline to 1-1, scoring 11 goals in 11 outings. The Bianconere took hold of the match two minutes later when Rosucci converted the ball across the line after Maria Alves played an assist across the box for her teammate to hit home.
Barbara Bonansea was brought on after the break in place of Arianna Caruso. Juventus started the second half in the same scoring form they ended the first and Maria Alves was again the protagonist. Girelli played the ball through to the Brazilian, who broke through the offside trap and chipped a delightful goal over the opposition goalkeeper and into the back of the net. A stunning strike. New signing Zamanian was given her debut when she replaced the Brazilian goalscorer in the 57th minute, while Bonansea tried to chase down a loose ball in the box only for it to be nabbed by Cappelletti in goal. Staskova then came on in place of Girelli with 15 minutes to go. Zamanian then turned the scoreline to 1-4 when she fired home an angled ball following Bonansea’s assist in the 83rd minute, but that wasn’t to be the final goal of the game as Cernoia grabbed her fourth goal of the season with an angled left-footed strike. Juventus will be back in action on Sunday, 19 January against Empoli.
Juventus XI: Bacic, Hyyrynen, Gama, Sembrant, Boattin, Pedersen, Caruso (Bonansea 46’), Rosucci, Cernoia, Girelli (Staskova 75’), Maria Alves (Zamanian 57’)
Sustitutes: Galli, Sikora, Franco, Bonansea, Panzeri, Staskova, Zamanian Bakhtiari, Salvai, Tasselli