05 January 2022
Juventus Women continued their winning run in domestic competition under the guidance of Joe Montemurro with a penalty shoot-out triumph over Sassuolo in the Italian Super Cup semi-final.
Amanda Nilden’s goal was cancelled out as the game finished 1-1 over 90 minutes. Winning 4-3 on penalties, the Bianconere sealed their place in the final on Saturday, January 8, when they will have a chance to clinch a hat-trick of Super Cup triumphs.
NILDEN STRIKES FIRST
Juventus first broke through Sassuolo’s high pressing game on four minutes when an Arianna Caruso run split the Neroverdi defence. The midfielder’s shot from the edge of the box was saved by Diede Lemey in the Sassuolo goal.
The Bianconere didn’t have to wait long to make the breakthrough. On 10 minutes, Andrea Staskova was given time to control a cross from Tuija Hyyrynen. The centre forward’s close range effort was parried by Lemey into the path of Amanda Nilden, who smashed the ball home from six yards out.
A short-lived advantage. Sixty seconds later, Lana Clelland raced onto a through-ball and drove an unstoppable shot beyond Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
Neither goalkeeper was called into action again until the closing minutes of the first half when a poor passback forced Lemey to scramble the ball, with the aid of the post, off her goalline. Cristiana Girelli was waiting to pounce, but from a tight angle could only shoot against the goalkeeper’s legs.
All square at half time.
PENALTY DRAMA
Girelli again came close to restoring Juve’s advantage. Close to the hour mark, the striker freed herself at the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a fierce effort just wide of the keeper’s right hand post.
In the 69th minute, Caruso played through Nilden, whose cross was inches beyond the outstretched boot of Staskova.
Staskova continued to pose the greatest threat to the Sassuolo defence but neither a shot on 88 minutes or a header in stoppage time could stop the match from going to a penalty decider.
The Bianconere held their nerve from 12 yards despite Lisa Boattin seeing her opening effort saved. Sara Gama, Cristiana Girelli, Barbara Bonansea and Sofie Pedersen were all faultless.
At 4-3, Peyraud-Magnin dived to her left to block the final penalty and send Juventus through to a fourth consecutive Super Cup final, and will take on AC Milan in this year’s decider.
JUVENTUS 1-1 SASSUOLO (HT: 1-1, 4-3 PENS)
SCORERS: Nilden 10' (J), Clelland 11' (S)
JUVENTUS
Peyraud-Magnin; Hyyrynen (Lundorf 87'), Lenzini, Pedersen, Nilden (Gama 73'); Rosucci (Hurtig 73'), Zamanian (Boattin 60'), Caruso; Bonansea, Girelli, Staskova.
Subs not used: Aprile, Panzeri, Cernoia, Pfattner.
Coach: Montemurro
SASSUOLO
Lemey; Filangeri, Mihashi, Dongus, Philtjens; Orsi (Iriguchi 90'), Dubcova, Parisi (Benoit 70'), Santoro; Bugeja (Cantore 45'), Clelland.
Subs not used: Dona, Pondini, Ferrato, Brignoli, Pellinghelli, Lauria.
Coach: Piovani
REFEREE: Francesco Carrione
ASSISTANTS: Giulia Tempestilli, Maicol Ferrari
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Martina Molinaro
BOOKED: Orsi (S) 20', Clelland (S) 65'
