30 November 2019
Juventus claimed all three points against Fiorentina when they defeated the Tuscan 1-0 at Stadio Silvio Piola in Vercelli on Saturday night. Cristiana Girelli scored the only goal of the game to help maintain their lead at the top of the table.
Rita Guarino was buoyed by the return of Cecilia Salvai to the team, following an eight-month injury lay-off that saw her sustain her knee injury in this very fixture from last season.
The Bianconere started off brilliantly and they took the lead with just 10 minutes on the clock through Girelli. Fiorentina’s defender failed to clear the ball properly and she turned it onto the cross-bar, forcing her teammate to make the save, but she couldn’t do much as the rebound fell into the path of the striker, who put home her ninth goal of the season. That was then followed up with Cernoia smacking the crossbar. Maria Alves then forced a reflex save off Ohrstrom in the 27th minute after she tricked her two markers and shot from a tight angle. It was basically one-way traffic in the first half with the Bianconere boasting the majority of the play, and they were denied a goal again by the woodwork when Cernoia hit a left-footed rocket that struck the crossbar with great force six minutes from the half-time whistle.
After the break, Bonansea was brought on in place of Maria Alves in the 58th minute of action, with the striker making her second substitute appearance for Juventus since sustaining her injury in August against Paris Saint-Germain. The tempo of the game levelled out between the two teams, with Fiorentina retaining more possession than they did in the first half. With 15 minutes remaining in the game, Caruso was then introduced onto the pitch in place of Galli. A chance fell to the youngster minutes after coming onto the field, and her shot on the volley flew over inches over the target. Cernoia then saw her shot whisk wide of the far post, after a brilliant run into the box, while Sembrant turned her header onto the woodwork. A stoppage time change by Rita Guarino saw Staskova come on in place of Cernoia, as the game finished with three points to the good for the hosts.
The Bianconere will be back again on 7 December against Orobica Calcio Bergamo.
Juventus XI: Giuliani, Hyyrynen, Gama, Sembrant, Boattin, Galli (Caruso 74’), Pedersen, Cernoia (Staskova 90’), Rosucci, Maria Alves (Bonansea 58’), Girelli
Substitutes: Sikora, Franco, Aluko, Bonansea, Panzeri, Staskova, Caruso, Salvai, Bacic
