Adriana Gomes converted a penalty to score her 22nd goal of the season, as Napoli Femminile earned a 1-0 victory over San Marino. The win against ex-Napoli coach Giulia Domenichetti was the Partenopee’s seventh straight league victory.
Lineup
Biagio Seno made four changes to the squad who defeated Genoa. The Napoli skipper replaced both of his centre backs, starting Melissa Nozzi and Martina Di Bari over Federica Veritti and Paola Di Marino, respectively. Giulia Giacobbo shifted to the left side of the midfield, allowing Valentina Puglisi a rare start on the right and relegating Sara Tui to the bench. Finally, Adriana Gomes returned to the starting XI, replacing Romina Pinna.
First Half
Napoli created the first chance of the match only three minutes after the kickoff. Elisa del Estal intercepted Giorgia Bertolotti’s pass with a header down to Sara Tamborini. She carried the ball to the edge of the San Marino area before playing a diagonal ball to her left to Adriana Gomes. Napoli’s top goalscorer curled a shot towards the top corner but it bounced off the top of the bar and over the goal.
Napoli came close again in the 14th minute, after Maria Grazia Ladu played a dangerous ball back to goalkeeper Francesca Olivieri. Del Estal chased and very nearly got to the ball but Olivieri got there in the nick of time and cleared it out for a corner kick.
The Partenopee continued to push forward and were rewarded for their efforts, earning a penalty kick just past the midway point of the first half. Giulia Giacobbo’s cross was cleared by San Marino, but only as far as Tamborini at the edge of the area. Her shot was blocked, but Giacobbo won the second ball, taking it down on her chest before drawing a foul from Ladu in the area. The official was in a good position and immediately point to the penalty spot. Gomes stepped up and placed the shot off the upright and into the back of the goal. Olivieri guessed correctly but there was nothing she could do to stop the shot. With her 22nd goal of the season, Gomes continued to lead the team in scoring.
True to their identity, Napoli continued to push forward after taking the lead. In the 27th minute, del Estal’s square ball was cleared by Bertolotti at the edge of the area. The ball rolled out to Claudia Mauri, who tried a speculative effort from 30 yards out, but didn’t miss by much. Mauri wore the captain’s armband with Paola Di Marino on the bench and was arguably Napoli’s best player.
Napoli were relentless in attack, nearly doubling their lead a number of times. In the 29th minute, Tamborini played a long through ball to de Estal, who would have been clear on goal had Olivieri not come well off her line to clear the danger.
Moments later, Valentina Puglisi crossed the ball into the area from the right wing. Defender Flavia Fancellu cleared the ball straight into Gomes, who was attacking the first post but the ball ricocheted wide of the goal. Gomes tested her luck again less than a minute later. The Portuguese native played a quick give an go with Aurora De Sanctis at the edge of the San Marino area but her first-time hit bounced narrowly wide of the mark.
Napoli came closest to doubling their lead just past the half hour mark. Antonia Dulcic burst past Gaia Bolognini on the right wing before played a low cross into the area. The very technical del Estal played a clever backheel flick but the ball rolled inches wide of the far post.
The one way traffic continued a few minutes later, with Giacobbo carrying the ball from midfield to the edge of the San Marino area. The midfielder laid the ball off to de Estal but the Spaniard’s first-time hit was straight at the keeper. Napoli came close again moments later. Dulcic’s shot cross from the right side of the area was spilled by Olivieri. Chiara Marenco cleared the ball straight into Dulcic and for a second time, the ball ricocheted just wide of the mark.
Second Half
After a slow start to the second half, Napoli went back into attack. In the 54th minute, Martina Di Bari carried the ball across midfield before passing to Dulcic near the right touch line. Like her goal against Genoa, Dulcic played a shot-cross into the area that sailed toward the top corner, but Olivieri did well to tip the ball over the bar.
Neither side created many chances in the second half. Napoli’s next quality chance came in the 74th minute after Giulia Ferrandi’s corner kick was cleared by San Marino. The substitute retrieved the ball and played a dangerous ball into the area. Del Estal won the header but the ball bounced comfortably into the arms of Olivieri.
Meanwhile, San Marino didn’t create their first chance until the 80th minute. Viola Brambilla crossed the ball into the area from the left wing. Substitute Martina Tamburini won the header at the first post but missed the target.
Other than a weak effort by Ladu in the dying seconds of normal time, San Marino hardly tested Matilde Copetti. The Napoli goalkeeper spilled the rebound but recovered quickly to collect the loose ball.
With the win, combined with Lazio’s 0-5 drubbing of Trento, Napoli remained 2nd in the Serie B Femminile table. First place will be on the line next round as Lazio host Napoli with only four rounds remaining. Napoli also have difficult match against 3rd-placed Cittadella in the penultimate round of the season, while Lazio have a fairly easy run-in.
Post Match
Martina Di Bari addressed the media after the match.
“San Marino made us suffer at the end of the match but we managed to hold on even though we should have ended the contest earlier. We were good at not conceding goals and bringing them home. Now we go to Rome with all the enthusiasm we have as well as with the awareness of our strength.”
