The direct clash between the two main challengers for a place in next season's Women’s Champions Leagueends goalless: at the PUMA House of Football, AC Milan and Napoli Women draw 0-0 and close the gap, but only by one point on Juventus, who were defeated at home by Roma. The two teams held nothing back on the Milanese afternoon, going all out over the 90 minutes in an exciting match which was full of chances for both sides. For the Rossonere, it marks a fourth consecutive clean sheet, their longest streak since 2021.
The long international break has not affected thepositive run of Bakker’s team, as they impressed with their committment, hard work and style of play. Only a goal was missing in the much anticipated return to Vismara, welcomed in the stands, alongside numerous fans, by a large Club delegation led by CEO Giorgio Furlani. Now focus shifts to the next fixture in an exciting end to the season: on Saturday 2 at 18:30 CEST, it will be derby time, away at Inter at the Arena Civica Gianni Brera. Forza Milan!
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v NAPOLI WOMEN
MATCH REPORTThe first chance came after just over a minute: Kyvåg delivered a cross for Stokić, but her header drifted wide. The opening stages were lively, with play swinging from end to end, and in the 11th minute the Rossoneri defence was forced into a double clearance inside their six-yard box. Kyvåg countered in the 15th minute, with the visitors’ back line scrambling the ball behind for a corner that led to a snapshot from Grimshaw, only for it to drift wide. In the 23rd minute Mascarello tried from the edge of the area with a free kick, but the shot was blocked by the wall. Five minutes later Kyvåg cut in on her left foot at the end of a promising counterattack, though Beretta gathered the effort at the second attempt. Another opportunity followed in the 37th minute when Grimshaw rose highest from a corner, but the opposing goalkeeper dealt with it once again. A real chance came in the 40th minute as the defence had to clear Koivisto’s close-range tap-in off the line, with the help of the post to Beretta’s right. In the 45th, Kyvåg led another break and forced Beretta to produce yet another save, before reacting sharply to keep out Grimshaw’s rebound.
The second half resumed at the same high tempo. In the 50th minute Grimshaw laid the ball off for Kyvåg, who tried to catch Beretta out as she came off her line but failed to find the target. Fløe tried her luck from a tight angle in the 53rd minute, but Giuliani was alert to the danger. Then, from the ensuing corner, Jusjong rose to meet the delivery, though she sent her header over the bar. In the 60th minute Arrigoni won the ball high up the pitch and it fell to Kyvåg, whose left-footed effort flashed just wide. Arrigoni then tried her luck herself in the 71st minute, striking a half-volley from the edge of the area that sailed too high. Fløe unleashed a dangerous left-footed shot in the 75th minute, but Keijzer made a crucial clearance on the line. The same sequence unfolded again two minutes later, with a VAR check confirming the intervention by the Rossoneri’s number 21. The final minutes brought a late push forward: Keijzer tried her luck from distance in the second minute of stoppage time, but the scoreline remained unchanged.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 0-0 NAPOLI WOMEN
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Giuliani; Koivisto, De Sanders, Soffia (43′ Piga), Keijzer; Arrigoni, Mascarello, Grimshaw (85′ Van Dooren); Stokić (62′ Sesay), Kamczyk (62′ Dompig), Kyvåg (85′ Renzotti). Subs: Estévez, Tornaghi; Donolato, Sorelli. Coach: Bakker.
NAPOLI WOMEN (4-4-2): Beretta; Pettenuzzo (54′ Trøan), Jusjong, Vergani, Giordano; Carcassi (54′ Barker), Bellucci, Langella, Kozak (54′ Kainulainen); Banusic (67′ Sciabica), Fløe. Subs: Hornschuch, Thisgaard; Kjølholdt, Veletanlic; Faurskov. Coach: Sassarini.
Referee: Galiffi from Alghero.Booked: 70′ Bellucci (NW), 90’+4 Piga (M).
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