FIORENTINA COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT THE ROSSONERE

The Rossonere's Italian first test of the summer ends in defeat. At Tirrenia, AC Milan Women were beaten by Fiorentina in a fixture that is quickly becoming a classic of Italian women's football. It ended 3-1 to the Viola in Tuscany, a scoreline that is very harsh on Bakker's side, who looked good in the first half and took the lead through Evelyn Ijeh's fourth goal of pre-season. Fiorentina turned it around in the second half through a Bonfantini brace and Janogy's goal.

Despite the result, there were plenty of positives to take from this test preceding the Rossonere's first competitive fixture of the season in two weeks. Still without Italy internationals Giuliani and Piga, AC Milan played well against strong opposition despite the new-look tactical set-up with Cesarini at centre-back. The recently arrived Kayleigh van Dooren also came off the bench to make her Rossonere debut. Now, the focus shifts to the Serie A Women's Cup and our game against Sassuolo on Sunday, 24 August.

MATCH REPORT
The game was slow to pick up pace due to the heat, but there was action in the first 20 minutes, as Estévez made a save to deny Catena (3') and Ijeh saw her effort smothered by the defence (19'). The Rossonere took the lead in the 23rd minute, somewhat against the run of play. Renzotti won the ball high up the pitch and fed Ijeh, who sent it past an onrushing Fiskerstrand. The goal galvanised the Rossonere, who then created two big chances through Renzotti (28' and 33'), denied by Færge on the line and the goalkeeper respectively. Fiorentina threatened late in the half, but Catena hit the bar before Estévez denied Dellaperuta on the rebound (38').

Bakker made one change to start the second half, sending on Donolato in place of Koivisto. Her opposite number in the Fiorentina dugout, however, shuffled the pack, the most significant changes being the introduction of Bonfantini and Janogy. The pair changed the course of the game. Between the 51st and 59th minutes, the Italy international bagged a brace to turn it around for the Viola. The first came from an unstoppable left-footed shot, and the second was a finish on the turn that went off the post and in. AC Milan tried to react, especially the youngster Appiah, but Bonfantini recovered the ball and assisted Janogy to make it 3-1. The Viola finished the game with ten players after former Rossonera Longo got injured. AC Milan tried to pull one back, but to no avail; it finished 3-1.

MATCH DETAILS

FIORENTINA 3-1 AC MILAN

FIORENTINA (3-4-2-1): Fiskerstrand (46' Bettineschi); Færge, van der Zanden, Filangeri; Severini (46' Tryggvadóttir), Cherubini (46' Curmark), Wijnants (46' Lombardi), Bredgaard (77' Bedini); Catena (46' Bonfantini), Woldvik (46' Janogy); Dellaperuta (62' Longo). Subs: Cetinja. Coach: Piñones-Arce.

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Estévez; Koivisto (46' Donolato), de Sanders, Cesarini, Keijzer; Cernoia, Mascarello (64' van Dooren), Grimshaw (64' Sorelli); Renzotti, Ijeh (59' Appiah), Dompig. Subs: Tornaghi. Coach: Bakker.

Referee: Bonaventura Corti from Prato.
Goals: 23' Ijeh (M), 51' and 59' Bonfantini (F), 74' Janogy (F).

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