Adriana Gomes scored a brace, added an assist and won a penalty kick as Napoli returned to winning ways with a 4-0 drubbing of Ternana.
Lineup
Dimitri Lipoff made five changes to the squad he fielded in Napoli’s 1-1 draw against Ravenna.
Captain Paola Di Marino returned to the starting lineup to play on the right side of the centre back pairing, while Martina Di Bari shifted wide to start over Eleonora Oliva at right back.
Claudio Mauri returned to the starting XI to play in a traditional midfield three, relegating Michela Franco to the bench.
Lipoff made two changes up top, with Sara Tamborini starting over Samia Adam on the left wing and Serena Landa starting over Antonia Dulcic on the right wing.
Match
After a flat performance against Ravenna, Napoli reaffirmed their identity as a team that presses high and moves the ball quickly. Ternana countered with physicality, committing numerous fouls in the opening quarter of the match.
Napoli’s style prevailed, as the partenopee opened the scoring midway through the first half. Serena Landa, Adriana Gomes, Martina Di Bari and Sara Tui all pressed simultaneously to force a turnover in the Ternana half. Landa played an incisive pass to Tamborini at the edge of the area, who played a perfectly-weighted diagonal through ball with her first touch. Gomes got inside the defender before sliding to shoot past the keeper. That was Gomes’ third of the Serie B Femminile campaign, and she was only getting started.
Shortly after the start of the second half, Gomes won a 50/50 challenge on the long ball from Claudia Mauri. The Napoli striker was 1 v 1 with the Ternana defender, but held it up long enough for Tamborini to make the late run. Gomes squared to Tamborini, who took two touches before firing into the top corner and doubling Napoli’s lead.
Gomes was back at it five minutes later, once again outpacing the Ternana defender to get to the long ball, this time from Giulia Ferrandi toward the left wing. Gomes carried into the area before drawing a foul by Federica Di Criscio, earning Napoli a penalty kick. Sara Tui converted the penalty to score her first of the campaign.
Ternana had an opportunity to pull one back at the hour mark, after their free kick bounced into the arm of Di Marino in the area. However, Tasselli held her ground and stopped Salvatori Rinaldi’s shot straight down the middle.
Gomes sealed the victory with with her second of the match in the 71st minute. Once again the goal resulted from Napoli’s press and once again Gomes got the best of Criscio, who conceded possession at the edge of the Ternana box. Gomes calmly dribbled around the keeper before rolling the ball into the back of the goal – her fourth of the season.
With a four-goal advantage, Napoli took their collective foot off the pedal and conceded a number of chances in the final quarter of the match. Ternana’s best chance came in the 89th minute, after ex-Napoli player Francesca Imprezzabile dispossessed Melissa Nozzi just outside the Napoli area. Imprezzabile squared to Rinaldi, who beat Tasselli but not the cross bar.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, the match official allowed nearly seven minutes of stoppage time, though nothing came of it. With the 4-0 victory – Napoli’s fourth win in five matches – the Partenopee returned to the top of the table. Napoli will be back in action on October 30th with a match against Sassari Torres.
Post-Match
After the match, the Partenopee sang “Tambo is on fire” in celebration of the winger’s first goal of the season. Tamborini commented after the match.
“We are a great group and this 4-0 against the Umbrians proves it. We redeemed the performance and the draw against Ravenna by fielding the attitude that must always distinguish us. We have many offensive solutions, ten goals in five games are there to prove it. We want to stay high in the standings until the end and give the fans the satisfaction they deserve.”
