Roma Women got defeated in Vinovo: the bitterness of a movie already seen

The same great disappointment. Roma grows, improves and gains in the Champions League, but against Juventus, it continues to pay for a problem it has never completely solved since the team came to be: missed goals. Last friday, the third day of Serie A Timvision ended 1-0 for the black and white. Spugna's team in the first half almost made the opponents disappear from the field, but it did not materialize the scoring chances. The team fell in the second half due to a lucky goal, questionable refereeing and Peyraud-Magnin who confirms herself a top-notch level goalkeeper (best on the field of her team).

From the 1st minute, the Giallorosse led the match with the personality and tactical variety that now distinguishes them. They managed to get close to the opponent's box with impressive ease and quality. In the first 20' Peyraud-Magnin solely denied three clear shots from Glionna, Andressa and Giacinti, with the number 9 guilty of not finding that cynicism her team needed. In the 22nd minute after winning a duel against Bonfantini, Di Guglielmo was forced to a substitution. She suffered a left flexor problem that will be examined thoroughly in the coming days. It will probably keep her out of tomorrow's Champions League match against Sparta Prague. Even after her knockout, however, Roma continued to press on but still missed promising chances at scoring. The many prior instances should have shown that too many mistakes will be paid for, especially against a great team like the Juve.

At halftime Montemurro (Juve's coach) gave more density to his side's midfield, thus managing to raise his team's pressing. In the 52nd minute, Girelli hit a crossbar from inside the penalty area, and shortly after the momentum of the match changed. Cernoia, thirty yards from the Roma goal and in a left-wing position, let off a cross that accidentally turned into a fatal shot for Ceasar. It would be the only "shot" to enter the goal recorded by Juventus at the end of the match. It was enough to bring the score to 1-0 and give three points in the Juventus standings, who are now ranked better than Bartoli and her companions. As the Giallorosse were trying to awaken from the blow they had suffered, the Italian champions turned up the pressure and a refereeing decision made the performance of Tremolada, the match referee, decidedly inadequate. In the 65th minute, Giugliano got her second yellow card in the match for a hold on Boattin and then sent off. The number 10 committed a not insignificant lightness (and it was not even the first in her match). However, there was a detail that must be taken into account: the first yellow card given to her by the referee for her first infraction was excessive, to say the least. It was even difficult to consider that intervention a foul.

This error is the culmination of a series of inaccurately assessed interactions throughout the match on both sides. Despite the numerical inferiority, Roma kept trying; specifically from an indefatigable Greggi (best on the field of hers for constancy, grit and contribution to the team) and Serturini excellent entrance from the bench. However, fatigue and the usual skill of Peyraud-Magnin denied Roma their equalizer. The Frenchwoman's last great play came following Wenninger’s astounding right-footed shot from outside just before the final whistle.

Having lost this match (it is the first knockout in Serie A since last October), with all that has happened, is certainly not dramatic for the purposes of a league still in its beginnings and does not greatly affect their excellent start and Roma's ambitions. It must, however, count as yet another lesson for Roma. Hopefully, it is the last message with the same theme that playing brilliant soccer, creating a lot of opportunities and dominating top-level opponents is not always enough to win games like this. It is way more important to score goals.