Once again, much obliged for the updates, gricio. Like always, they really help me catch up when I go blank for a while. The top three's run of form is incredible right now, not that it hasn't always been, but it suddenly hit me as I see them not relinquish even a bit of their point total. I really wonder who will end up edging that title away when it is all over. Sadly, the same cannot be said for my Torino girls. They have taken four consecutive losses, dropping them to tenth. Numerically though, there is no real threat of them falling into the relegation zone, but it is still a shame to see them floating just paces above it. At the very least I take solace in Ms. Barbieri and Ms. Ponzio continuing to up their scoring totals despite the losses, pushing eleven and nine respectively, that is always good to see.
Hi Gricio. I read that ACF Firenze won by 4-0 vs Res Roma last saturday, but Matsubayashi was on the bench: any idea about the reason? Also: the catch-up matches for two weeks ago, when a pair of matches were canceled for rain, have been already scheduled?
Hi Blissett....yes, Matsubayashi didn't play last Firenze match, Ilaria Leoni played, so I think that she fully recovered from the surgery...I don't know for the future if there will be a starting GK or they'll alternate depending on their fitness, we'll see.... Speaking of GK, bad news for Chiara Marchitelli, n° 1 for the NT and Brescia, who suffered a ACL rupture during a training session with the NT leading to the Thursday match against Czech Republic ...in the Azzurre team probably will be replaced by Sara Penzo (Tavagnacco), a player with more or less the same quality, but with Brescia the 2nd GK is Camelia Ceasar, very promising but very young too (just turned 16!), and this could be a factor affecting the title race.... About the Serie A matches, the 19th gameday has been played completely, although splitted in two, whereas 4 matches of the previous gameday have yet to be played; some have been already scheduled, others (Riviera di Romagna - Firenze as an example) not yet so far. Last gameday results: Brescia - Verona 3-1 Como - Tavagnacco 0-2 Chiasiellis - Torres 1-2 Pordenone - Inter 2-0 Mozzanica - Napoli 3-0 Firenze - Res Roma 4-0 Valpolicella - Riviera di Romagna 0-3 Grifo Perugia - Scalese 5-2 In the table, now Torres is leading with 52 points, Brescia has 51 pts and 1 match to catch-up, Tavagnacco 48 points and 2 matches to catc-up, Verona 38 points and Mozzanica 34. Some highlights as usual:
The match Italy-Czech Republic (WWC quali) will be broadcasted today live at 3 pm on Rai Sport 1 and streamed here: http://www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raisp...tentItem-18b9bd8c-1ab9-44e8-a684-fd3430493964
I was back home too late to watch the match... But I see from the UEFA site that we won by 6-1. Now, if I read the situation well, we'd have to beat Spain in next match to have a chance at direct qualification. Judging by how I saw Spain play at Euro 2013, I am not very optimistic about the fact that Italy can beat them, and I am afraid we seriously risk having to play-off with other European teams at 2nd place in their respective groups, if we want to go to Canada 2015... What do you think, Gricio? Can you see Italy beating Spain?
I wasn't either, so here the highlights (and the post-game interview with Cabrini): http://www.calciodonne.tv/media-gal...m_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=calciodonne.tv
Debzy, IMHO beating Spain will be very difficult (I've seen that they just scored 12 against Macedonia), probably so far Spain has better chances for the direct qualification, but we will see....the match will be played in Vicenza at the beginning of April, it's not so far from my hometown, so I am thinking to go to watch them live....
Sorry, I was sure to have read Debzy's name as a poster, probably I need a new pair of glasses... Anyway Blissett, here's the schedule of the catch-up SerieA matches you asked a few days ago: http://www.lnd.it/news/leggi/{id}?lid=24&id=1004523 As you can see, Riviera di Romagna - Firenze will be on Rai Sport TV, although I don't know who will play as the Firenze GK (of course I hope for you it will be Matsubayashi); other good news for the media coverage of the italian women soccer, as you heard listening to the Cabrini interview, is that all the matches of our NT in the next U-17 WWC will be broadcasted...
Thank you very much Gricio! It's even possible that, on Wednesdey afternoon at 16:00, I get the chance to actually watch the match... Although, as you said, if Matsubayashi won't be the starter, my interest would decrease. On the other hand, I admit that, since Riviera di Romagna is the team you follow, I could be interested anyway in watching... our personal derby! I have to admit that, although Italian, in that tournament I'll be rooting especially for Little Nadeshiko (who did quite brilliantly in the recent U-17 Invitational Tournament in USA and could have a serious chance of winning the whole thing). I hope RAI Sport will show the last rounds of the competition, no matter how far Italy will get...
Torres currently has four points on Brescia, with Brescia's match upcoming. They have an easy opponent statistically, but I wonder if this can be the moment that Torres can break free even slightly. I doubt there is any pressure getting to the Brescia girls but still an interesting thing to think about. Meanwhile, Torino got back on the right track with a 2-1 victory against Juventus. Ms. Barbieri added another goal to make twelve on the season. Hopefully we can continue on this right foot next match against Caprera. We are still bottom rung, but that does not matter any.
Last matchdays results didn't change anything about the title race, meanwhile showed some changements in the relegation battle, with Inter and Chiasiellis important wins and Napoli and Como bad loss... Inter - Como 1-0 Riviera di Romagna - Pordenone 2-1 Scalese - Mozzanica 0-10 Res Roma - Torres 1-5 Napoli - Chiasiellis 1-3 Grifo Perugia - Brescia 0-5 Tavagnacco - Valpolicella 8-0 Verona - Firenze 3-0 In the table, now Torres is leading with 55 points, Brescia has 54 pts and 1 match to catch-up, Tavagnacco 51 points and 2 matches to catc-up, Verona 41 points and Mozzanica 37. At the bottom, apart Scalese (6 points) and Grifo Perugia (10 points), IMO already relegated, there is a bunch of teams desperately fighting to get at least the play-out chance, namely Como (13 pts), Inter, Chaisiellis and Napoli (all at 15 pts), play-outs that Firenze (21 pts) and Valpolicella (23 pts) are trying to avoid... Today Rai Sport 1 will broadacast the Riviera di Romagna - Firenze catch-up match, at 4 pm local time. Some highlights of last week:
Thanks a lot for the info/image as usual guys . Please could you explain how the play-off/play-out work ?
Of course, Debzy ! As you already know, next season Serie A teams will be reduced to 14, so at the end of this season 6 clubs will be relegated: the last 4 in the table directly, meanwhile the team ended 12th will play against the team ended 9th, and the 10th against the 11th. Will be single-match playouts, played at home of the best ranked of the 2 teams, the winners will stay in SerieA, the losers will be relegated and the winners of the 4 Serie B groups will take their spots next season. Last weekend + catch-up matches results: Riviera di Romagna - Firenze 2-1 (played on Wednesday) Valpolicella - Verona 0-7 Torres - Inter 4-0 Mozzanica - Tavagnacco 0-1 Como - Grifo Perugia 1-1 Firenze - Napoli 5-0 Pordenone - Res Roma 0-1 Chiasiellis - Riviera di Romagna 1-0 Brescia - Scalese 7-0 Nothing changed in the top side of the table: Torres 58 points, Brescia 57 (1 match less), Tavagnacco 54 (2 matches less), Verona 44 points, Mozzanica 37 points. A few highlights of some matches:
Gulp! It's good that Debzy asked that, because I wasn't aware that so many clubs were going to be relegated... I believed that ACF Firenze was virtually sure to play in Serie A next season, but I see that the situation isn't so clear yet... They are currently in the best position, among the clubs having to play-off (9th place), but, for instance, I personally watched them lose vs Inter, that's the club currently at 12th place... Let's hope that they can catch up with one of the two teams that are 5 points ahead of them (Res Roma and Graphistudio Pordenone), although closing a 5 points gap won't be easy for sure ... Anyway, after two consecutive losses, vs Verona and Riviera di Romagna, here is a win. And it happens when Matsubayashi finally comes back in Firenze's starting team instead of Leoni (I have read it on the scoreboard and on an article): can it really be a coincidence?
Blissett, you "forgot" to write that in the match against Riviera di Romagna Matsubayashi actually played....and don't say you didn't know, I saw your post on Nadeshiko thread.... (Joking aside, she played rather well, and I don't think she's to blame about the 2 goals, were unstoppable...). Highlights of Torres - Inter:
Yes, I had forgot she had already come back vs Riviera di Romagna when I wrote that... then I came back to my mind when writing on the Nadeshiko thread. I didn't feel the need to correct myself here, because... I know that you follow Nadeshiko thread too! Edit: by the way, I aknowledge that you won our "personal derby", between Riviera di Romagna and Firenze.
I take advantage of this break for Cyprus Cup to update the SerieA, with last Saturday's matches results: Tavagnacco - Chiasiellis 1-0 Como-Mozzanica 2-0 Verona - Pordenone 7-0 Riviera di Romagna - Res Roma 1-0 Inter - Brescia 1-3 Grifo Perugia - Valpolicella 2-1 Scalese - Firenze 0-2 Napoli - Torres hasn't be played because the pitch was floaded. In the table, now all 3 top teams have 1 match to catch-up: Tavagnacco and Brescia still leading with 60 points, Torres has 58 points; Verona is 4th with 47 pts, Riviera di Romagna has 38 and Mozzanica 37. For the relegation battle, now Firenze is 9th, only 2 points behind Res Roma and Pordenone. Today will be played 2 catch-up matches: Como-Scalese and Inter-Grifo Perugia. Some highlights as usual:
Ooh, Brescia have taken down ten-woman Tavagnacco 2-0. That's exciting! Also, Torino continue their inconsistent form with a pair of bad losses, but I prefer not to think about that...
Yes, Brescia now is going full throttle to winning SerieA, of course there are still 7 matches to play, but after this match they have a big edge (more psychological than in points) towards Torres and Tavagnacco. As soon as possible I'll post my usual summary with highlights of past and this week matches, I am a bit lazy to do it now... About Torino, there is a reason for the recent losses, because half of the team was in Trento to play the very important youth tournament "Trofeo Beppe Viola", against other italian top U-19 teams. They won the cup hands down, may be this it's not their best season, but the future it's on their side , here the highlights of the final against Firenze. http://www.calciodonne.tv/video-home/772-arco-di-trento-firenze-torino.html
As promised, here the results of last SerieA matches: Valpolicella - Scalese 7-1 Pordenone - Napoli 3-1 Mozzanica - Grifo Perugia 3-1 Firenze - Tavagnacco 1-4 Res Roma - Inter 0-1 Brescia - Como 3-0 Chiasiellis - Verona 1-5 Torres - Riviera di Romagna 4-1 Wednesday catch-up match: Tavagnacco - Brescia 0-2 In the table, with 7 matches to play, now Brescia is leading with 66 points, Tavagnacco has 63 pts, Torres 61 and 1 match to catch-up, Verona 50 points and Mozzanica 40. For the relegation battle, big step ahead for Inter that now wouldn't be anymore in the direct relegation zone (where currently are Scalese, Grifo Perugia, Napoli and Chiasiellis). Tomorrow the scheduled big match Tavagnacco - Torres will be postponed for the upcoming WCL, but there will be a couple of interesting matches for the relegation battle. Highlights of Tavagnacco - Brescia:
A couple of interesting news from calciodonne.it website: - This is for you, Blissett: http://www.calciodonne.it/it/campio...12-il-calcio-giapponese-l-osaka-toin-under-17 - And, following some rumors, the confirmation that Torres is in financial troubles (that could partly explain, by the way, the sudden leaving of Pamela Conti): http://www.calciodonne.it/it/rubriche/parliamone/14118-torres-la-punta-di-un-iceberg-molto-profondo The journalist, who has a long-lasting experience of italian scene, starts from this bad news to underline one more time the (lack of) interest about wo.so. in the FICG despite the many promises that every year their management state in abundance... We'll see how all this will end, anyway it's probably the end of an epoch...
Quite sad article, about Torres... We Italians know well where our women's football is at, no matter what kind of brilliant performance National Teams can show from time to time, like with U-17 right now... Happy that a Japanese College Team was in Italy: Italian football for sure needs more contact with countries like Japan, where women's football is a t a different level...