The 2022/23 season ended with an Italian Cup won by beating an impressive Roma in the final, and a second-place finish in Serie A right behind the Giallorosse. It was a different year, and the first without winning Serie A (after five titles in a row in a row), but one that was made special with winning the Italian Cup in the final game of the season. Joe Montemurro's girls certainly did not lack in grit and fight in the last few months, and they provided thrilling moments and last-gasp comebacks over the course of the season, embodying that 'fino alla fine' mentality
Parma 1-2 Juventus: A photo-finish win
On the ninth matchday of Serie A, the Bianconere paid visit to Parma with Gianluigi Buffon watching on from the stands at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. Juventus trailed Roma in the table by four points, so a victory was a must to try to keep up with the league leaders. The Emilian side started well and Melania Martinovic opened the scoring, complicating our girls' plan. Juve threw everything at their hosts, but Gialloblù goalkeeper Alessia Capelletti put in a phenomenal performance, making one super save after another.
A few minutes from the 90th minute, Cristiana Girelli hits the post with a sure shot, and as the game ticked into stoppage time it felt as though it wasn't going to be Juve's day. But Lisa Boattin's rocket from outside the box levelled things up at 1-1. A point didn't satisfy Joe Montemurro's girls. As time was running out, Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir scored a dramatic late winner to complete an absurd turnaround and seal the points.
Roma 2-4 Juventus: A big win away at the leaders
It was first against second in the big match of the 12th matchday. The Giallorosse seemed to be unbeatable with eight wins in a row and were enjoying a golden run. Juventus, for its part, had already managed to get the better of the league leaders in Turin and were aiming to beat them again to cut the gap. It was a shock start for the Bianconere, who fell behind to Annamaria Serturini's goal after just 100 seconds of play. It came as a blow that threatened to jeopardize everything. The equalizer, however, was not long in coming as Lineth Beerensteyn punished Roma's high defensive line and was lethal on a counterattack. It was 1-1 after a quarter of an hour.
A few minutes before half time, it was Cristiana Girelli who changed the game's momentum with a header on the end of a set piece, giving Juventus a 2-1 lead at the break. But Roma didn't let their heads drop and equalized through Andressa Alves right at the start of the second half.
Beerensteyn, though, was in fine form and restored our lead in the 67th minute. The Giallorosse came knocking again, but it was the super Julia Grosso who scored next to kill the game off and take three huge points away from the capital.
Juventus 4-3 Fiorentina: A completely crazy comeback
With Roma pulling clear in the title race, Juventus needed to perform against Fiorentina to tighten their grip on second place, but things started oh so badly for Girelli and co. as the Viola came out flying. Michela Catena struck first, then Annahita Zamanian, on loan at Fiorentina from Juve, added to our troubles. Things got worse when Stephanie Breitner made it 3-0 and still in the first half, and it was a real uphill battle from there.
But Girelli showed Juventus' first signs of life to pull a goal back in first-half stoppage time, enough to raise questions of a comeback, and the second half was a different game altogether. Beerensteyn scored another big goal to cut the deficit to just one, and then Barbara Bonansea again stepped up when she was needed most to level things up at 3-3, and with half an hour still to play. Our girls kept going and Girelli came close again, but it was a late strike from Grosso that finally found the fourth goal with just eight minutes of the 90 remaining, sparking scenes of jubilation in Vinovo as Montemurro's side completed a breathtaking comeback.
Juventus 2-1 Inter: The Bianconere book their Italian Cup final ticket
The second leg of the semi-final started with a 1-1 aggregate after the draw in the first leg, with Beatrice Merlo and Grosso's goals setting things up nicely for the return in Turin.
With the stakes high, the Bianconcere didn't take long to get up and running as Gunnarsdóttir's header opened the scoring inside a couple of minutes. From there, though, it was a real battle. The game ticked on with Juve having a slight lead, but the impressive Tabitha Chawinga levelled late on and the game was sent to extra time.
It was no surprise to see Beerensteyn pull through and deliver the goods again, as she so often does when the stakes are high, and she scored a 100th-minute goal to send us to Salerno for the final.
Juventus 1-0 Roma: Bonansea wins us the cup!
We came up against Roma in Salerno in the Italian Cup final, with the Giallorosse having already won Serie A and the Super Cup against the Bianconere. It was a real tactical battle at the Stadio Arechi, and neither side wanted to give their opponents even a sniff at goal.
Very little of note happened in the opening 45 minutes, but Bonansea was the first to try her luck from range in the second half.
Ticking towards the final whistle, Manuela Giugliano gave us a scare as she missed a header from inside the box, but BB was in the right place at the right time moments later as she got on the end of a pinpoint Boattin cross to head into the bottom corner and spark scenes of celebration on the pitch.
Roma were left with no time to react, and the cup came back to Turin with us for the second straight season.