Tickets
Shop
After the game in Reggio Emilia finished 0-0 after 120 minutes, it all came down to spot-kicks at the Mapei Stadium. And it was Roma goalkeeper Camelia Ceasar who was the hero of the moment, saving two of Milan's first three penalties to give her side an early, and ultimately decisive, advantage.
It was ultimately left to Vanessa Bernauer to clinch the trophy, however, as she converted from 12 yards to confirm a 3-1 shootout win and spark wild celebrations among the Giallorosse squad.
Three years on from the side's formation, coach Betty Bavagnoli and Rome-born, Roma fan captain Elisa Bartoli led the side to their first piece of silverware.
"I've been waiting for this moment ever since I was born," Bartoli said in the aftermath.
The final itself was one of high quality but few clear-cut chances, with both sides proving adept at cancelling out the attacking threats of their opponents. Neither goalkeeper was particularly active, although Ceasar was forced into an important double save late on in extra-time.
For Roma, Annamaria Serturini was a constant thorn in the side down the left, while Elena Linari and Allyson Swaby combined effectively to render Italy international striker Valentina Giacinti generally ineffective.
The introduction of Agnese Bonfantini and Giada Greggi gave the Giallorosse an extra impetus in the closing stages, as they arguably always looked the more likely of the two sides to make the breakthrough.
In the end, however, it went down to the lottery of penalties.
Ceasar immediately turned the tide in Roma's favour with a save from Vero Boquete, as subsequent misses from Grimshaw and Tucceri Cimini enabled Bernauer to step up with a chance to win it all.
The Swiss international, another player to have been with the team since its inception, naturally made no mistake.
“We won on penalties, which are always a lottery, but we deserved to win," Bavagnoli said afterwards.
"Now we have achieved something amazing, we’ve realised a dream."
Imperium Partners
Centurion Partners
