21 January 2024
Fino alla fine. Rinse and repeat. It happened again. Juventus Women were made to sweat until the very final seconds away at Sassuolo in Serie A, but Joe Echegini appeared from the bench to score her first goal for the club and seal hugely important points.
The match
Sassuolo started on the front foot in Emilia-Romagna, and after just two minutes they were knocking on Pauline Peyraud-Magnin’s door. Juventus reacted through Arianna Caruso, on her 201st appearance for the club, and Maelle Garbino then tried twice in two minutes, but Solene Durand had an answer for everything the Bianconere threw at her. Sofia Cantore tried her luck as well, but fired wide.
Then the first half became one of one-way traffic. Juventus kept coming and coming, with Barbara Bonansea and then Julia Grosso, but Durand just kept saying no. Then Caruso went looking for a goal again, as did Garbino. But the result was always the same.
Things didn’t change all that much in the second half either. Bonansea hit the post unmarked after some good play on the left then resulted in her being found free. Juventus kept coming, but Cantore and then Cristiana Girelli couldn’t capitalise.
The Bianconere persevered in search of the match-winning goal, and it so nearly came in the 81st minute when Grosso headed within a whisker of the bottom corner. But Sassuolo were threatening too, and Daniela Sabatino even hit the crossbar.
Juventus’ efforts were finally rewarded in the dying minutes. A Lisa Boattin cross dropped in a crowded box, and Joe Echegini was on hand to turn in her first goal for the club - and what a memorable goal it was - to earn the Bianconere three fundamental points.
There were then more Juventus chances in stoppage time, but neither Lineth Beerensteyn or Grosso could find the net.
And so, Juventus return to Turin with the three points, closing the gap to Roma after their loss at Inter.
The post-match comments
Joe Montemurro’s words
“Sassuolo are a good, organised team that deserve respect. We created a lot of chances today to take the points home, and the girls deserved it, they played well. I’m happy for Joe [Echegini], she’s fitting into the group and is a player who is capable of scoring goals.”
Joe Echegini’s words
“I’m happy and emotional with my goal, and it was a really big team win. We played well, I’m really happy to be part of this team and to have scored the winning goal.”
Sassuolo 0-1 Juventus Women
Goals: 88' Echegini (J)
Sassuolo: Philtjens, Gram, Pondini (74' Poje Mihelic), Sabatino, Beccari (69' Clelland), Ndoutou Eboa Missi, Brignoli (57' Kullashi), Durand, Prugna, Orsi, Filangeri (Cap).
Unused subs: Lonni, Mella, Passeri, Santoro, Sciabica, Monterubbiano.
Coach: Gianpiero Piovani
Juventus: Peyraud-Magnin, Lenzini (94' Gama), Calligaris, Cascarino, Boattin, Caruso, Grosso, Garbino (66' Girelli), Cantore (78' Echegini), Beerensteyn, Bonansea (Cap) (94' Thomas).
Unused subs: Aprile, Palis, Bragonzi, Bellucci, Salvai.
Coach: Joseph Montemurro
Bookings: 81' Poje Mihelic (S)
