The top two won comfortably again in Serie A Femminile this weekend which means Juventus are another step closer to clinching their fifth successive title and Roma have almost secured Champions League football.
At the other end, there was defeats for Fiorentina and Napoli who are locked in a thrilling relegation scrap.
Clinical Roma close in on Women’s Champions League place
Roma found the net with ease against bottom side Hellas Verona as they beat the Gialloblu 7-1 in Rome. Milica Mijatovic scored her first two Roma goals in the first 24 minutes.
Two more were added by regular scorer Andressa Alves and Paloma Lazaro before the hour mark but then Giorgia Arrigoni pulled one back for Verona.
This clearly angered the Giallorosse and they responded with Valeria Pirone, Benedetta Glionna, and Sophie Haug all grabbing a goal each to wrap up an emphatic 7-1 victory. That win means that Roma are now 13 games unbeaten in Serie A Femminile which after a shaky start to the season is an incredible achievement.
Now 1?3? games unbeaten in the league!
#ASRomaWomen #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/2cCQ92HrLL— AS Roma Women ? (@ASRomaWomen) April 3, 2022
Unfortunately for Roma their victory is more useful in a Champions League qualification sense rather than a title sense. Juventus played immediately after at home to Sampdoria and cruised to a very calm 3-1 victory.
Any hopes that they may be off the pace after their Women’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Lyon in midweek were thwarted when Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea made it 2-0 after half an hour.
An Arianna Caruso penalty was followed by a consolation strike from Catarina Bargi to round off the game and Juventus are now in a position where they could win the league on the next match day.
They are five points ahead of Roma with three games to play so a win away at Lazio for Juve and an away defeat at Fiorentina for Roma would mean Joe Montemurro has picked up where Rita Guarino left off.
As for the Champions League fight, the top five all won this weekend with Sassuolo beating Pomigliano and AC Milan beating Empoli. Roma have a commanding five-point gap back to Milan.
Napoli miss a chance to step towards survival
Napoli could look back on this weekend as the one where their survival hopes took a definitive hit.
They were at home to Lazio who are one of only two teams beneath them in the league table right now. Collecting three points was an absolute necessity, and they managed to lose 1-0.
A Giulia Ferrandi penalty after half an hour was all Lazio needed to continue their improved form in this second half of the season. They’re up to 11 points now but it’s certainly going to be a case of too little too late for the Biancoceleste.
As for Napoli, if they had taken all three points here they would be level with Fiorentina, with whom they are trying to swap places.
La Viola lost 2-0 away at Rita Guarino’s Inter which is an expected result given the form of Fiorentina, but their end to the season has been truly awful.
?? @PandiniMarta conclude nel migliore dei modi una bella azione corale. @Inter_Women ???
? #InterFiorentina 2??-0??
? https://t.co/e06jIZhyuO#SerieAFemminile @TIM_vision pic.twitter.com/rMkEgc5t81— FIGC Calcio Femminile (@FIGCfemminile) April 2, 2022
Marta Pandini wrapped that game up with two goals in the first 21 minutes on Saturday and the toothless Fiorentina had no response.
Pomigliano are still implicated given they only have one more point than Fiorentina but they do have a game in hand. Incidentally, Pomigliano have to play both Fiorentina and Napoli. They were easily beaten 3-0 by Sassuolo this weekend.
Serie A Femminile Round 19 results:
Pomigliano 0-3 Sassuolo
Inter 2- 0 Fiorentina
Napoli 0-1 Lazio
Roma 7-1 Hellas Verona
Empoli 0-3 AC Milan
Juventus 3-1 Sampdoria