GIULIANI SAVES PENALTY IN GOALLESS DRAW AT VIOLA PARK

One point on the board was enough for Fiorentina and AC Milan who opened their respective Championship Round campaigns with a goalless draw at Viola Park. Little excitement on matchday 19 of the Women’s Serie A with more managing possession and wavering energy up front. The headlines from the game focus on the key moment in the 74th minute: penalty to Fiorentina as Rubio fouled Catena in the box and usual suspect, Boquete, stepped up to the spot. However, Laura Giuliani was ready to stop the Spaniard, preventing any Viola celebrations and keeping a sixth clean sheet of the season.

More useful for morale than the table, the draw between Fiorentina and AC Milan keep them in 4th and 5th respectively, quite a distance from the top three who are already on track for a spot in the Women’s Champions League. In March, ahead of the next international break, the Rossonere will face Juventus, Inter and Roma with the Bianconere coming off the back of a hard-fought 4-3 win over the Giallorosse. Coach Bakker’s girls will need all the focus and energy possible in this second phase of the season to keep dreaming big.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM FIORENTINA v AC MILAN

MATCH REPORT
It was a balanced first half at Viola Park, with few chances for either side. The first opportunity fell the way of the Rossonere, who came close first through Dompig with a right-footed shot – off target (6'), and then through Arrigoni in the tenth minute with a powerful effort from distance – saved by Fiskerstrand. A lot of build-up but goalmouth action was few and far between in the course of the first half, but, before the interval, Fiorentina had a go: Bonfantini crossed from the right finding Bredgaard at the back post, but the Dane’s effort struck the post, though Giuliani had it covered.

The second half began with a back-and-forth battle: first, Bonfantini let fly, denied by Giuliani, and on the ensuing counter-attack the Rossonere broke due to the speed of Chanté Dompig, who was crowded out in the penalty area. Ijeh tried in the 52nd minute and Koivisto in the 64th, but both failed to break the deadlock. The real turning point of the match came in the 74th minute, when Rubio brought down Catena in the penalty area: the referee awarded a penalty kick. Boquete came up to the penalty spot, but her shot was met by Giuliani, who denied Fiorentina the lead.

MATCH DETAILS

FIORENTINA 0-0 AC MILAN

FIORENTINA (4-4-2): Fiskerstrand; Eržen (85' Toniolo), Pedersen, Filangeri, Færge; Bonfantini (66' Catena), Curmark (85' Pastrenge), Severini, Snerle; Bredgaard (66' Della Peruta), Boquete. Subs.: Durante, Tortelli, Longo, Georgieva, Cavallini, Bettineschi. Coach: De La Fuente.

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Giuliani; Koivisto, Sorelli, Piga, Vigilucci; Cernoia (76' Cesarini), Mascarello (72' Rubio), Arrigoni; Renzotti (85' Laurent), Ijeh, Dompig (72' Stokić). Subs.: Fedele, Tornaghi, Marinelli, Karczewska, Mesjasz, Appiah. Coach: Bakker.

Referee: Frasynyak from Gallarate.
Booked: 44' Renzotti (M), 47' Piga (M).
Notes: 74' Giuliani (M) saves Boquete's (F) penalty.

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