09 December 2023
Juventus Women returned to action without too much fuss on Saturday, bringing the international break to an end with a 4-0 win over Pomigliano in Biella to start the second part of the regular Serie A season. There were four goals, a clean sheet, and plenty of positives for Joe Montemurro’s Bianconere.
The match
Juventus started on the front foot, and Arianna Caruso had the first shot of the game without finding the target after 10 minutes, before trying again with the same misfortune after 24. The Bianconere then turned things up a notch, with Ella Palis, Lineth Beerensteyn and Sofia Cantore all trying their luck.
The opener came through Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir though, getting on the end of an inch-perfect cross from Lindsey Thomas to head home. Beerensteyn and Cecilia Salvai both went close again before the break, but Pomigliano managed to get in for half time just one goal behind.
And so the second half got going, but the script was much the same as the first. The Bianconere were well on top, and Cantore went close to getting on the scoresheet inside five minutes.
The second goal just wasn’t coming, and Pomigliano went close on the hour mark as they hit the woodwork through Ana Martinez.
Surviving that brief scare, Juventus turned things up again and decided to close the game out. Beerensteyn scored a fine second for the hosts after 66 minutes, finding space on the edge of the area before firing into the bottom corner. She had her second and Juventus’ third just moments later on the end of a perfect centre from Cantore.
To put the final touches on a perfect afternoon, Barbara Bonansea returned to the side and, shortly after coming off the bench, added the fourth goal from the penalty spot after Beerensteyn had been fouled.
The post-match comments
JOE MONTEMURRO
“We worked during the week to keep the group fresh, mentally too. The girls have played a lot with their national teams, but this has become normality for us. We’ve found confidence, we played with a lot of calm, and I’m seeing more maturity in the group. We have our way of playing and we believe in our game.
“Thomas has the quality to be a reference point in attack. She attacks the lines and moves well, we’re working on this. Our attack works with width and with midfield support, and having fluidity in attack is vital, as well because it doesn’t give the opposing defence a point of reference.
“[Ella] Palis has grown a lot, we saw her quality today too. Now she needs to find consistency and she can be a very important player for us, she’s a very intelligent player.”
SARA BJORK GUNNARSDOTTIR
“I think the game wasn’t easy in the first half, we were trying to search for that goal and we were happy we got it before the second half. We tried to find space on the pitch but Pomigliano made it quite hard for us in the first half, but I think in the second half we played better, we found those spaces, we put in those crosses, we got the goals and we’re happy with that win to.”
MARTINA LENZINI
“Reaching 100 appearances give me a lot of pride, it’s an honour. I’m happy, and as a Juventus-supporting child I never would have thought I’d achieve this.
“Where do I think I fit best? At centre-back, but I adapt well and I can play at full-back, I just try to give 100% any time I play.
“We mustn’t look at what Roma are doing, we have to focus on carving out our own path and winning as many games as we possibly can.”
JUVENTUS WOMEN - POMIGLIANO 4-0
Serie A Femminile Tim - Matchday 10
Stadio La Marmora–Pozzo, Saturday, December 9, 2023, 15.00
Goals: 30’ Gunnarsdottir (J), 66' Beerensteyn (J), 70' Beerensteyn (J), 93' pen. Bonansea (J)
Juventus: Aprile, Lenzini, Salvai (Cap) (74' Cafferata), Cascarino, Boattin (83' Nilden), Caruso (83' Bellucci), Gunnarsdottir (83' Garbino), Palis, Cantore (74' Bonansea), Thomas, Beerensteyn.
Unused subs: Peyraud-Magnin, Bellagente, Sembrant, Sliskovic.
Coach: Joseph Montemurro
Pomigliano: Gavillet, Apicella (Cap), Fusini (85' Manca), Caiazzo, Rabot, Ippolito (85 Domi), Battistini, Martinez (74' Harvey), Di Giammarino (85' Tengue), Bourgouin (64' Nambi), Ferrario.
Unused subs: James Buhigas, Corrado, Novellino, Schettino.
Coach: Alessandro Caruso
Referee: Mattia Caldera
Assistants: Marco Colaianni, Davide Fedele
Fourth Official: Lorenzo Travaini
