Keys to Victory: Banusic steals headlines but plenty more to savour

Roma Women continued their outstanding record on home turf – even at a different location – by beating Inter 4-3 on Saturday.

Playing at Trigoria rather than their usual home at Stadio Tre Fontane, Roma were no less efficient as they claimed yet another home win.

It was a game that saw different players take on goalscoring responsibility, with all four players who found the back of the net for Roma doing so for the first time in Serie A this season – and each goal was impressive.

Roma strengthened their grip on fourth place as a result and, while conceding two goals in the final 15 minutes took some of the gloss off the result, it was still a strong and convincing performance.

Here were some of the factors that ensured Roma came out on top.

Key Player

Roma’s goalscorers may have taken the limelight with their impressive efforts in the final third, but of equal importance was a player holding down the middle of the park – Vanessa Bernauer.

The Swiss midfielder was pivotal to Roma’s structure both in and out of possession, always appearing in the right place at the right time.

Her partnership with the similarly functional Claudia Ciccotti – allowing Manuela Giugliano to move further forward – ensured Roma won the midfield battle.

With 80 touches from her 76 minutes of action, Bernauer saw more of the ball in relation to how long she played for than anyone else on the pitch.

She may not have recorded a goal or assist for herself, but created two chances and demonstrated her importance in the opposite phase of the game by winning two duels and making one interception.

Perhaps it was no coincidence that two of the three goals Roma conceded came in the minutes after Bernauer was taken off. Her importance was even more apparent when she was not there.

Key Moment

All of Roma’s goals were aesthetically pleasing in their own way, but there was one that stood out most among strong competition.

Barely six minutes after coming on, Marija Banusic scored her first goal for Roma in the most spectacular fashion.

After Annamaria Serturini crossed the ball in from the left, Banusic met it in the box and acrobatically finished with an overhead kick.

Her instinctive moment of individual brilliance showed the confidence she can bring to Roma’s attack as her gametime increases.

In the context of the match, it came at an important moment as well, restoring Roma’s three-goal cushion and giving Inter too much of a mountain to climb despite their late attempts.

Key Decision

Indeed, the introduction of Banusic in the 65th minute gave another dimension to Roma.

Leonardo Montesano, the assistant who was standing in for the ill Betty Bavagnoli, opted to replace Giugliano with Banusic in an attacking change.

Since Giugliano had been playing higher up the pitch than she normally does anyway, it didn’t affect Roma’s structure as much as may have been imagined – but the minor tweak obviously paid off.

Banusic’s spectacular strike made Roma even more comfortable in the game, and she went close again with a thunderous effort from outside the box that hit the bar.

Replacing a midfielder with a striker may not have seemed like the obvious choice when managing a lead – and the fact that Inter went on to score two more suggests there may have been more prudent options – but the aim of the game is to outscore the opponents, and that’s exactly what Banusic helped Roma do.

Key Fact

On any other day, the focus would have been on Lindsey Thomas’ instinctive goal that gave Roma the lead in the 13th minute.

Without a goal in the league all season despite leading the way in that department last term, Thomas finally – and deservedly – got off the mark with a backheeled finish.

After playing a one-two with Giugliano as she came in from the right flank, Thomas took a big touch to guide the ball away from the goalkeeper. She still didn’t have a clear sight at goal, though, as two defenders were covering and her body was turning away from the target.

That didn’t stop the French forward, who cut the ball behind her, sending it in between the Inter defenders and into the net with a skilful piece of quick thinking.

Now, Thomas finally has the league goal – in addition to the two times she has scored in this season’s Coppa Italia – that her performances have been warranting.

The goal typified the manner in which she has been working to shake off that burden of not scoring in Serie A for over a year. Determined to carve out a chance for herself, she only had one thing in mind and brought it into being.

Thomas’ role has changed this season, and she has still been crucial to Roma’s attacking system – but any forward wants goals, and now she is up and running again.

Just like with Banusic and her goal, it could be a watershed moment for Thomas to add even more to her game as she continues to be a major influence for Roma.

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