ROSSONERE DEFEATED IN THE OPENER, FIORENTINA SNATCH A 3-1 WIN

Not the best of starts for AC Milan in the 2022/23 Women's Serie A, at the official start of the professional season. At the P. Vismara Centre - PUMA House of Football, Fiorentina took home all 3 points in a convincing 3-1 win for the visitors with little response from the hosts. The match was an uphill battle from the start as the Rossonere found themselves a goal down after just 4 minutes and by half-time the match was as good as over as the opponents had already scored three goals (Mijatović and Kaján's double). In the second half, Asllani, the best in terms of technical performance and also leadership, pulled one back, but this only eased the pain. It was an unimpressive performance from the team, which struggled to create and make an impact, without composing an effective reaction to turn things around.

Now the league will take a break, but the Rossonere's work must not stop. After all their pre-season training and their important experience in America, they came up short in their season opener. The team sit on zero points, but is only new and is yet to reach its full potential. It is only the beginning, this break will allow them to get back on track and prove it was only a bump in the road. This will be seen in Rome, at the resumption, on Saturday 10 September at 14:30 CEST: a difficult challenge to overcome.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v FIORENTINA

MATCH REPORT
Milan were hit hard early on in the 4th minute, when Mijatović let the ball land after a throw-in, creating space in the box and hitting the ball into the corner with her left foot for the visitors' lead. Fiorentina grew in courage and played with more conviction, and in the 16th minute they doubled the lead: Catena crossed the ball into the box, and the rebound favoured Kaján, who found the net on the turn. It was Asllani who tried to shake things up: in the 19th minute an attempt was saved by the goalkeeper. The Rossonere were growing slightly, on the half-hour mark first an unfavourable scrum and then a shot from distance by Mascarello was blocked. There was scrappy play and not much order on the pitch. In the second half Bergamaschi sent it high, a few seconds passed and a serious mistake in Mesjasz's back-pass gave Kaján the chance to jump over Giuliani and put it into an empty net for the second goal. 0-3 at the break.

The game restarted with the Rossonere giving some positive signals, but the big chance came in the 49th minute to Catena, inaccurate from Kaján's service. Ganz made substitutions, making room for Tucceri Cimini, Thrige and Árnadóttir. And something changed, because in the 61st minute Asllani reduced the deficit: the Swede started and finished the move, deflecting into the middle of the area to beat Schroffenegger, thanks also to an excellent assist from Piemonte. The Diavolo tried to go forward, but they managed to do so without finding the leeway to really cut through again: in the 75th minute K. Dubcová's shot from the edge of the box was blocked on the ground by Schroffenegger, little else except for a goal cancelled out after Sabatino’s offside, and Milan's protests for a couple of possible penalties; in the middle Rubio Avila's injury, who had just come on, forced our girls to finish with ten. 1-3 at the full-time whistle.

MATCH DETAILS

AC MILAN 1-3 FIORENTINA

AC MILAN (3-4-3): Giuliani; Mesjasz, Guagni (12' Árnadóttir), Fusetti; Soffia (9' Thrige), Mascarello (31' Rubio Avila), K. Dubcová, Bergamaschi (9' Tucceri Cimini); Thomas, Piemonte, Asllani. Unused: Babb; Carage; Adami, Vigilucci; M. Dubcová. Coach: Ganz.

FIORENTINA (4-2-3-1): Schroffenegger; Eržen, Tortelli, Agard, Jackmon; Parisi, Huchet; Kaján (41' Sabatino), Boquete (41' Monnecchi), Catena (36' Jóhannsdóttir); Mijatović (27' Cafferata). Unused: Russo; Breitner; Giacobbo, Longo, Menta. Coach: Panico.

Referee: Panettella di Bari.
Goals: 4' Mijatović (F), 16' e 47' Kaján (F), 16' Asllani (M).
Booked: 41' Mascarello (M), 5' Jackmon (F), 14' Thrige (M), 45' Sabatino (F), 46' Tucceri Cimini (M).

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