18 August 2021
Juventus Women began the new season in style as they crushed Kamenica Sasa 12-0 in their opening UEFA Women's Champions League match.
In what was Joe Montemurro's first competitive fixture in charge, the Bianconere secured their first-ever win in European football with hat-tricks from Arianna Caruso and Andrea Staskova, a Cristiana Girelli double and further strikes by Martina Rosucci, Annahita Zamanian, Barbara Bonansea and Agnese Bonfantini completing the rout.
Juventus showed they meant business from the off, zipping the ball around with ease and moving intelligently while making virtually no mistakes.
Kamenica Sasa seemed almost powerless and found themselves behind after just two minutes. Zamanian played an inch-perfect ball up for Caruso, who timed her run superbly to notch her first goal in the Champions League.
She didn't have to wait long for her second. Ten minutes later, after visiting keeper Jelena Gvozderac had kept out several efforts, she fired home from the middle of the box to make it 2-0.
Another five minutes passed and Rosucci added a third, but our girls didn't seem in the mood for settling there and went looking for the fourth. It duly came just before half time – this time Girelli opening her European account with Juve.
The script didn't change in the second half as the Bianconere continued to boss possession and create one opening after another.
Six minutes after the restart, Bonansea curled in number five then shortly afterwards she set up Girelli for her second as the scoreline reached half a dozen.
Kamenica Sasa's resistance was visibly waning as the minutes passed and Juve took advantage with the addition of fresh legs. Zamanian made it 7-0 with a precise finish, then Staskova – who had replaced Girelli – got in on the act with our eighth of the day.
Goal number nine saw Caruso complete her hat-trick thanks to another fine assist by Zamanian.
It didn't end there. In the final ten minutes, Staskova racked up two more to grab a hat-trick of her own, before Bonfantini completed the dozen in stoppage time with a goal on her competitive debut for the club.
Also making their debuts in black and white were Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who started, Martina Lenzini and Amanda Nilden.
It was a perfect start to the season for Juve and the ideal preparation for their second European match on Saturday.
