20 April 2024
Juventus Women completed a comeback in Biella on Saturday afternoon, overturning a deficit to beat Sassuolo 2-1. The win clinched qualification for next season's Women's Champions League for the Bianconere, allowing Lisa Boattin to mark her 200th Juventus appearance in style.
SELECTION CHOICES
The Bianconere lined up with a number of changes to the starting XI and Sara Gama returned at right-back with Martina Lenzini joining Cecilia Salvai at the heart of the defence. In midfield, Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir came in for the suspended Arianna Caruso, and Sofia Cantore joined the attacking ranks alongside Lineth Beerensteyn, Joe Echegini and Cristiana Girelli.
THE MATCH
The game started off at a rather slow pace, and the first shot on goal came after seven minutes through Lisa Boattin - who was marking her 200th appearance for the Bianconere. Solene Durand was equal to her efforts though.
Sassuolo remained compact early on, doing well to keep Juventus out. But things picked up a little as half time approached. As Gama got forward on the right, her dangerous ball in was dealt with by Durand, and Julia Grosso could only send her effort over from the edge of the box. At the other end, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin had to be alert to deny Daniela Sabatino.
The second half began with Lineth Beerensteyn trying her luck, but again Durand had an answer for it. Sassuolo weren’t just settling for a point either, and substitute Lana Clelland had an instant impact as her fine centre picked out Chiara Beccari who, after teeing herself up nicely, picked out the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Lindsey Thomas and Paulina Nystrom were introduced as Juventus sought a response, but it was Lisa Boattin who scored the leveller in sublime style, curling an inch-perfect free-kick into the top corner to mark her 200th appearance in the best way possible.
That equaliser changed the complexion of the game, and Juventus then pushed on. Just over ten minutes from time, a Boattin corner ended up falling in the box to Nystrom and the Swedish forward made no mistake in turning home from close range.
The win allowed the Bianconere to celebrate mathematically qualifying for next season’s Women’s Champions League, and now attention turns to Inter’s visit to Biella on Friday.
A job well done today, ladies!
SARA GAMA'S POST-MATCH COMMENTS
“We’re happy with the win, but we can and have to do better. We showed our character today and that’s important. The approach maybe wasn’t the best, but our character showed after going behind and that’s why it’s important to start matches well. We have to congratulate Sassuolo because they played well. But back to us, I don’t think we played all that badly in the first half because we did have some chances and we didn’t give much away, we just lacked a bit of personality.
“After the loss in Rome we knew we had to bounce back, taking some of the positives we showed in that game. We definitely saw some improvements in that game compared to other matches against them this season. We have to improve on a daily basis.
“A lot of things led to me extending my contract. In the last few years we’ve won a lot and done well, now we’re going through a slightly different kind of year but we still managed to bring home a trophy this season."
LISA BOATTIN’S POST-MATCH COMMENTS
“Two hundred appearances with Juventus is an incredible achievement. It’s always an honour to wear this shirt, and to have done it 200 times is a unique feeling. I’m happy to celebrate it with a win and with a goal, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for for a long time and it’s finally come.
“Going back to the 200-match milestone, to have done it as a Juventus fan and with my parents here in the stands is a really nice feeling.
“I think we were a little lacklustre in the first half and they were first to the ball too often and won too many individual battles. Then they took the lead, but after we levelled it was a different game. These are three important points, and we’re happy to have qualified for the Champions League."
JUVENTUS WOMEN 2-1 SASSUOLO
Goals: 54'Beccari (S), 68'Boattin (J), 79'Nystrom (J)
Juventus: Peyraud-Magnin, Gama (Cap) (75' Cafferata), Lenzini, Salvai, Boattin, Gunnarsdottir, Grosso (86' Palis), Echegini (60’ Thomas), Cantore (60’Nystrom), Girelli (86’Bragonzi), Beerensteyn.
Unused subs: Aprile, Cascarino, Calligaris, Nava.
Coach: Paolo Beruatto/Giuseppe Zappella.
Sassuolo: Philtens, Gram, Jane, Pondini (84' Poje Mihelic), Sabatino (62’ Kullashi), Beccari, Ndoutou Eboa Missi (84' Monterubbiano), Durand, Orsi, Filangeri (Cap), Zamanian (52' Clelland).
Unused subs: Lonni, Passeri, Prugna, Sciabica, Simon.
Coach: Gianpiero Piovani.
Referee: Renzi
Assistants: Picciche - Chillemi
Bookings: 30’ Lenzini (J), 67' Beccari (S)
