Gallery: Women come up narrowly short against AC Milan

With World Cup winner Mia Hamm watching on from the stands, the Giallorosse took the lead midway through the first half - as midfielder Flaminia Simonetti steered Betty Bavagnoli's side ahead.

However, the visitors equalised shortly before half-time and then took the lead just moments after the restart - an advantage they would hold on until the final whistle.

Roma - despite injuries to a number of players including Giada Greggi, Vanessa Bernauer and, during the game itself, Claudia Ciccotti - gave the Serie A front-runners plenty to think about throughout the contest, with Agnese Bonfantini and Simonetti among those to go close to grabbing an equaliser.

"I told the girls before the game that, whatever happened, this would be a big step forward for us today," Bavagnoli said.

"And that proved to be true. Because today we showed we can go up against the league leaders, without fear, without losing our focus.

"We've improved a lot since facing Juventus [a 4-0 defeat]. We've come on in every aspect, and today we showed that. We put Milan in trouble. I must compliment them, too, because they showed their character and solidity to see the game out.

"But I repeat, this was a major step forward for us - for our overall project, our collective group. Technically, tactically, physically, we showed how we are developing."

The Giallorosse now turn their attention to the Coppa Italia, where they will face Orobica next weekend.

"We fought hard," said substitute Camilla Labate. "AC Milan's players are more or less all in their senior national teams, so it was a great test for us.

"We will analyse this game, see how we can improve, but now we look ahead to the cup. That is a real target for us, it would be a great achievement to have a long cup run."

See more photos from the game in the gallery below.

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