You're not sure if being more disappointed by the mediocre game (despite some decent chance for both teams) or more excited by the fact that finally a team, Inter, managed to take some points from Juventus, so we can have at least some sort of a fight for the title. Actually Inter did a favour more to Fiorentina, who are now just one point behind Juve, than to themselves, whose 4 points' gap from the top remain unchanged. Anyway, this 0-0 draw was at least something new in this season: Juventus remain unbeatable on the domestic scene, but at least they're no-more "undrawable". Alessandro Spugna, who has to keep balancing domestic league and Champions' League, made some interesting rotations in today's home match vs Milan. Evelyne Viens, who seldom has the chance to rest, was kept on the bench to start Alayah Pilgrim instead, and the Swiss FW wasn't bad at all in the 1st Half. Valentina Giacinti and Giulia Dragoni could finally co-exist, since the latter was moved to the midfield (where she actually belongs, in my opinion ), having though to sacrifice Giada Greggi to accomodate her there. Roma didn't even have the time to get used to this new setting, since Milan stroke at 5' already, once again with Evelyn Ijeh, who looks like their more dangerous player at this point of the season. Roma reacted with rage, but also with their usual streak of wasted chances: a lob just high by Valentina Giacinti, a crossbar hit by Alayah Pilgrim, a shot by Manuela Giugliano that was blocked by Milan's defense; until finally, at 22', it was indeed captain Manuela Giugliano who scored with the power and the accuracy we are used to see her display. The equalizer cooled things down a little, at least until HT. That's when Alessandro Spugna decided to tinker with the line-up again: Frederikke Thøgersen for Verena Hanshaw was a role-on-role change that didn't alter the line-up too much (except for the fact that it was Lucia Di Gugliemo who moved from the Right-Side to the Left, to let the Danish FB her favourite lane); Giada Greggi for Saki Kumagai and Evelyne Viens for Alayah Pilgrim were more substantial changes, that basically ended deciding the game. In fact, from a throw-in by Lucia Di Guglielmo it was these two players who put together the action leading to a cross in the box by Evelyne Viens that was subsequently turned into a goal by Valentina Giacinti with an header-lob, distinctly reminding me of the one she scored vs Galatasaray on Thursday: it's now obvious that it wasn't a random goal, but some kind of solution she's currently studying. The score stood until the final whistle, so Roma leapfrogged Milan in the rankings, gaining two points over Inter and Juventus in the process, and basically got back in contention just before the international break. When Sassuolo play it's mostly goal-festival and it happened today also: it's a shame though, that it never ends well for the Neroverdi. The 1st Half had seemed balanced though: the initial goal by Nadine Nischler, who had tapped-in the rebound of a crossbar+post by team-mate Alex Kerr, had been answered by a goal by always excellent Gina Chmielinski and Sassuolo seemed totally in the game. In the 2nd Half, though, everything went awry for the home team: Cecilia Prugna hit the crossbar with a wonderful shot and, unlike her Como's counterpart, didn't have team-mates that were quick enough to convert the rebound. Then Julia Karlernäs was subbed-in for Como, and a few minutes later an assist from her foot marked the start of Elisa del Estal's personal show: the Spanish striker scored an hat-trick in just about 15', and the second goal by Gina Chmielinski in between that performance (she's now at 4 goals in the league, as Elisa Del Estal herself) could do nothing to save Sassuolo from another loss, leaving them sadly at just 1 point, while Como managed to pass Lazio. A final note: both teams started Italian GKs: Lia Lonni for Sassuolo, Astrid Gilardi for Como. The recap: Inter 0-0 Juventus Roma 2-1 Milan Sassuolo 2-4 Como The rankings (goal difference and goals scored are in brackets): Juventus 19 (+13, 20 goals scored) Fiorentina 18 (+7, 16 goals scored) Inter 15 (+11, 15 goals scored) Roma 12 (+4, 13 goals scored) Milan 10 (0, 7 goal scored) Como 7 (-4, 10 goals scored) Lazio 6 (-2, 10 goals scored) Napoli 5 (-6, 3 goal scored) Sampdoria 3 (-12, 2 goal scored) Sassuolo 1 (-11, 10 goals scored) The highlights:
Must first take the opportunity to applaude for your writing skills! it also hit me that you highlight the names, don't know if I've noticed that before. That is great! Did you see the Roma-Juve-game? Did Dragoni look good? From the highlight I could tell anyway that Pilgrim looked sensational! Looks like she can be very vital part for Roma and a good replacement for Haavi. Also about that Giacinti-goal, that really shows why Giacinti is always an interesting player, yes ofc frustrating very often but she can do some things really well, score some really advanced goals that few other players can. Thats why I think she should start big CL-games,, she got that x-factor or higher level. Should also be mentioned that Viens did an excellent ground work before the goal, Sassuolo is really the most unlucky team of the season together with Lazio, but unlike Lazio Sassuolo got themselves to blame for their really lousy defence. The game looked exciting judging by the highlights, Nischler really got a special shot, a thunderbolt , hope Soncin will give her time soon if she continues to play like this! Prugna also looked awesome again and she must be a part of the NT soon, The stars of the game though was Chieminski, as you said always excellent, and De Estal, didn't see that hattrick coming . Hope neither of this teams go down, Como won't for sure.
It's always good to have people appreciate the effort, thanks. It's a way to give the eye some kind of a visual path through my comments, while at the same time hammering in the mind of the readers the names of players and coaches, until, match-day after match-day, they become known quantities and solid characters. Also, when folding back some pages, they give a visual cue that helps finding what you're looking for. I am somehow happy that you had't noticed before, because it means that the names in bold play their subliminal role without even being consciously recognized. There are many reasons why I implemented that and It's good to know that it basically works. No, I couldn't watch the whole game, but from what I've seen of it, maybe Alessandro Spugna (in bold ) is finally onto something. Roma looks like a difficult puzzle, where you have to accurately balance the many different good or top players in the roster, but he's somehow managing to solve it.
Italy vs Malta highlights Giuliani playing in goal shows how much trust the coach have in the other goalkeepers,
I couldn't cover Malta's match, And I most probably won't be able to cover Spain's match either nor many others to come. The reason is written on the Nadeshiko Japan thread, but I am on techical trouble, and I am not able to link that message: since this is anyway my second most active thread on BigSoccer, so it's important to me to leave a message here also, can some of those operating on both threads link or copy here my message from the Nadeshiko Japan thread? Thank you!
Blissett's message from Nadeshiko thread: Hi, guys: probably someone has noticed i haven't been around in the last days. I am hospitalized since Thursday's evening, and it's still very difficult for me interact here with the online low quality device i have available that keeps tryng to correct in italian all the english words i write. Only wanted to let anyone know that i am alive and don't worry if i won't be able to write much for several other days. Since, despite this being an anonymous forum, it's anyway a public one, i don't want to write anything more about my condition for privacy reasons, but i'll be happy to privately answer about that to the best friends i have here. Since answering is costing for me, both for my physical fatigue, my limited time and the suboptimal quality of the device i have to use, please, if you want to hear more from me, open a private collective conversation, so anyone of my friends here can be invited by the first opener(s) and join (please ask before joining, but i guess everyone of you that i know since years is aware of their level of confidence with me); and be patient if I won't answer right away.
Thanks: that you wanted to post here a so disappointing performance by Germany is an even bigger sign of friendship than the very fact of reposting my message!
Great game again by Italy which shows they are growing. If they also can learn how to handle physical teams like England, Sweden and USA they can probably be considered a top nation soon. Will be an interesting test against Germany in December, who you should want revenge after their defeat too Australia.
Lazio - Como 1:2(0:0) Clarisse Le Bihan(90+4) - Julia Karlernäs(74p), Dominika Skorvankova(77) Astrid Gilardi saved penalty by Le Bihan(76) Fiorentina - Inter 2:1(0:1) Vero Boquete(61p), Lucia Pastrenge(90+2) - Ivana Andres(25) Napoli - Juventus 0:3(0:2) Cristiana Girelli(9p), Paulina Krumbiegel(44), Arianna Caruso(70p) Sampdoria - Roma 1:5(0:3) Sofia Bertucci(90+2) - Emilie Haavi(6), Marta Pandini(12), Evelyne Viens(18), Lucia di Guglielmo(86), Alayah Pilgrim(89) Milan - Sassuolo 1:0(0:0) Evelyn Ijeh(81) 1.Juventus 22 23-7 2.Fiorentina 21 18-10 3.Inter 15 16-6 4.Roma 15 18-10 5.Milan 13 8-7 6.Como 10 12-15 7.Lazio 6 11-14 8.Napoli 5 3-12 9.Sampdoria 3 3-19 10. Sassuolo 1 10-22
i agree and share the appreciation for @Lohmann. Not sure when I'll be back covering Italian league (very late, I'd say, judging by my current rehabilitation program), but at least I finally managed to put my hands on a PC and I can be back occasionally posting. I of course missed all of the games of the week-end, but I am intrigued by some of the results, especially Fiorentina's win vs Inter, that I didn't expect at all (especially since earlier Inter had managed to stop Juventus on their only draw so far): so Fiorentina can really be Juventus' most credible rivals for the title? Was Martina Piemonte on the pitch, in the match vs Como (I hadn't yet the time of watching the highlights either )? If yes, it looks like the choice of changing the penalty-taker from her to Clarisse Le Bihan wasn't a brilliant one: not sure if three consecutive missed PKs are a Serie A's record, but they sure don't look good.
Feels like Simonetti should be the obvious choice, as she's their most skilled player, but maybe her shot isn't all that. I know Moraca has a good shoot anyway, maybe they can try her, but she often starts on the bench. Goldoni also feels like an alternative.They need to sort this out, cause penalties has cost them a lot this season and tight games are often decided in that fashion...
Between the options you listed, Eleonora Goldoni potentially sounds like the more solid one to me: when a player is in top-form, I'd prefer her to others at anything, PK-taking included.
Currently don't have the force to post the scores of all of the games with all of the scorers, but between yesterday and today the Round of 16 of Coppa Italia Femminile (in a single match, with no second leg) were played (Hellas Verona-Juventus is the only one still underway, but it's 0-4 for Juventus at HT, so no surprises expected here). There were basically no upsets, since all of the Serie A's teams won vs Serie B's teams; the only "all Serie A" clashes were Lazio-Como (7-2!) and Napoli-Sampdoria (1-0)
We indeed get Sweden, but after all we finished ahead of them in the previous Nations' League's A Group, so in the end it doesn't look so bad.