Three days ago coach Andrea Soncin called the players for December's friendly match vs Germany. Goalkeepers: Matilde Copetti (Parma), Francesca Durante (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Margot Shore (Bologna); Defenders: Valentina Bergamaschi (Juventus), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Federica D’Auria (Lazio), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Fiorentina), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Lazio), Julie Piga (Milan), Angelica Soffia (Milan); Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Roma), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Eleonora Goldoni (Lazio), Giada Greggi (Roma), Nadine Nischler (Como), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), Emma Severini (Fiorentina); Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Juventus), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Fiorentina), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Benedetta Glionna (Roma). It's a whopping 29 players, so it's clear that among them there can be some long shots that anyway deserve to be tried. Three players are at their first call: you can believe me or not, because I hadn't spelled it out here outside of a general appreciation, but I had the distinct feeling that Nadine Nischler just had to be called this time, and it indeed happened! The other new faces are Lazio's DF Federica d'Auria and Parma's GK Matilde Copetti: we had already discussed on this thread Italy's GKs' situation, that forces the coach to look at good Serie B's candidates; as the FIGC's article mentions, Parma is leading Italian 2nd Division with a record of just 3 goals against in 11 match-days, so Andrea Soncin could be onto something. An interesting detail is that Matilde Copetti (27 yo and on loan to Parma from Milan) is 1,80 m tall: not bad for a women's GK. Finally, I'll notice that Martina Piemonte is not on the roster: it's likely that she wasn't called because she's just back from an injury, but, who knows, it could anyway be seen as a meaningful message.
Milan again manage to snatch a quite undeserved point, but to their cred they seemed to have wanted it a bit more than Viola. Fiorentina should've scored a lot more in the first half, Mentions Ice cold Piemonte, but not the biggest omission, eh @blissett ? The "hot as lava" top scorer of Serie A fem. Maybe it's just a question of resting or maybe Soncin thinks, like a lot of fans, that Girelli is too slow, he anyway seems to prefer Giacinti. Yes, good with a tall azzurro keeper, let's remember though that Durante is 2 cm taller, but looked like she was 150 cm against Sweden, so let's hope she got the authority to match as well. Anyway nice to see that a lot of new names are arriving to the squad, there's actually happend a lot in 1 and a half year or so with the names. Hope Soncin dares to play Soffia a bit, think shes got a physicality that's been missing in Italy since Guagnis heydays. She's probably my favourite full back after Krumbriegel in the leauge also. Boattin and Diguglielmo(spelling?) are good, but a bit weak or slow on international level IMO.
1.Juventus 29 32-10 2.Inter 24 21-6 3.Fiorentina 23 20-13 4.Roma 22 22-12 5.Como 16 17-19 6.Milan 14 10-13 7.Lazio 7 12-17 8.Napoli* 6 3-16 9.Sassuolo* 6 16-25 10.Sampdoria 4 3-25 *Napoli - Sassuolo 1:0 Because longer highlights include Giuliani saves? My prediction: 1.Juventus 2.Roma 3.Inter After watching Fiorentina against Wolfsburg I can't believe they will end in Top 3. I think Roma will be stronger when they can concentrate on Serie A after the match in Wolfsburg.
Whoops, you're right! Lisa Boattin didn't get back well from her beginning-of-the-season's injury, but she's anyway solid and her offensive contribution is always precious: did you check out, today, her assist for Barbara Bonansea? Do you share @Lohmann's prediction, @dravde?
Yea his top3 prediction is exactly like mine, but must say I was really impressed by Fiorentina in the first half so I almost increased their position, but 2nd half prooved me right in my first prediction . Anyway I really like Fiorentinas attack, more than Inters atm, very entertaining, Yea,but missed it was here, but you're right she is very good and her connection with Girelli on corners is legendary, but..she's to slow. You often see it in Champions Leauge, she gets exposed. Ofc I don't rule out playing Boattin or Guglielmo, but in some games maybe a quick Soffia is to be prefered.
🔴 In occasione della Giornata internazionale per l'eliminazione della violenza contro le donne, l'#ASRoma ha inaugurato un murale a Monti TiburtiniSono intervenuti Mario Hermoso e le calciatrici della Primavera Sara Zappettini e Martina Viestihttps://t.co/fG2MyZwDqx pic.twitter.com/Kf8SQJ1Zkw— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) November 25, 2024
In Italy they have excellent knowledge of German Football "Bayern goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (who started last month at Wembley), Lyon midfielder Sara Dabritz, Inter striker Lina Magull and Wolfsburg defender Jule Brand due to injury have not been called up for the tests against Switzerland and Italy" Which of this avatars should I choose?
Three out of four of these look ok. (Although the one reading "Juventus Women" looks a bit outdated ).
Unsere Start-11 gegen Italien 🔥WIR #IMTEAM 🇩🇪 #GERITA📸 DFB/Thomas Böcker pic.twitter.com/ytpq85cZbh— DFB-Frauen (@DFB_Frauen) December 2, 2024
Thanks: I am going to watch the match on TV, so I won't interact much here, but I guess I should at least be able to post Italy's line-up later (not yet available, apparently ).
Italy's line-up is now available: ITALY (4-4-2): Giuliani; Di Guglielmo, Lenzini, Linari, Boattin; Bergamaschi, Caruso, Giugliano, Bonfantini; Beccari, Cambiaghi. On the bench: Durante, Shore, Cantore, Giacinti, Bonansea, Soffia, Severini, D’Auria, Dragoni, Schatzer, Greggi, Piga, Filangeri, Nischler, Oliviero. Coach Soncin Interesting duo up there of Chiara Beccari and Michela Cambiaghi (Agnese Bonfantini should be played lower, on the wing, specular to Valentina Bergamaschi): they look like they could complement each other quite well. Nothing else really particular in this line-up, I guess. Probably there will be rotations (especially of offensive players) in the 2nd Half.
Unexpectedly (I guess for German players too, at least at the beginning), Chiara Beccari didn't play as a striker at all: she was on the Left-Wing but more with holding-midfielder duties (mostly against Germany's new captain Giulia Gwinn) than with offensive duties: good surprise move by Andrea Soncin! Beccari was always ready to double any attack on German Right-Side (and they were playing almost only on that side). Consequently, Italy's real offensive duo was the one formed by Agnese Bonfantini and Michela Cambiaghi, no-one of them being an actual central striker, but they had a perfect sinergy in the action of the goal. Of course, it was a gift by German defense, but it was made possible by Italy excellent offensive pressing (especially by Michela Cambiaghi, who anyway doesn't have just energy but also technique: did you check out her assist? ). Not sure if Italy will manage to keep the lead, but for sure Germany are not being much dangerous so far. As I mentioned, I expect rotations in the 2nd Half, since this is a friendly: but guess @Lohmann now knows what Italy's FWs are for.
By the way, what about that ball she grabbed at the beginning of the game: was it outside of the box or inside?