Keys to Victory: Giugliano orchestrates Verona demolition

Roma Women have been finding their form again after navigating a tough run of fixtures, backing up a recent win against top-end challengers Sassuolo with another triumph over struggling Hellas Verona on Saturday.

While the 2-0 triumph over Sassuolo was arguably the best result of the season so far for Roma, the 5-1 victory against Verona was categorically their biggest.

Paloma Lazaro scored Roma’s first and last goals of the game, with Manuela Giugliano, Andressa Alves and Annamaria Serturini all finding the net in between.

Here were some of the most important factors in making it a comfortable afternoon for the Giallorosse.

Key Moment

After getting back to winning ways the week before, it was important for Roma to make a good start to this game as they looked to keep the ball rolling.

Thankfully, Lazaro gave them a foothold in the game inside 10 minutes – and did so in fine fashion.

At the end of an encouraging move (featuring a sumptuous pass from Manuela Giugliano), Benedetta Glionna sent the ball across the ground for Lazaro in the box.

From a tight angle, the Spanish striker managed to flick the ball behind her standing leg and into the net.

It was an excellent finish from a player who has perhaps needed a confidence booster after seeing summer signing Valeria Pirone thrive in her position in recent weeks.

Lazaro’s potential to be a reliable scorer as well has been clear since her first weeks at the club, but scoring in such style will have lifted a weight off her shoulders after what hasn’t been the most straightforward 2021.

Subsequently signing a contract extension until 2023 will have helped too.

Indeed, later in the game, her second goal also showed the signs of a confident player, as she lobbed the opposition goalkeeper from the edge of the box.

Lazaro also impressed with the way she created chances, sometimes dropping deeper throughout the 90 minutes of a big win.

It all had to start somewhere, though, and it was her that set things in motion by showing the player she can be again.

Key Player

She may have been playing as part of a midfield trio, but – not to discredit the other players, rather to emphasise her level of excellence – sometimes it felt like Manuela Giugliano was running the entire show herself in the centre of the park.

Roma’s approach on the ball flowed through the Italy international, who also happened to be captain for the day in the absence of Elisa Bartoli.

Giugliano was central to everything Roma built, not just in terms of territory but also in terms of influence.

Her range of passing opened up the pitch for Roma, helping them break down what could have been a stubborn defence – whom they ended up breaching more times than any other opponent so far this season.

Giugliano sometimes got forward herself, as well, rather than just sending the ball in that direction. Doing so allowed her to get on the scoresheet with Roma’s second goal of the game, which increased their control of the tie.

But it was in feeding the ball through where she particularly excelled, as in the case of her assist for Lazaro’s final goal of the game to cap off a dominant display.

Key Decision

So flowing was Roma’s play against Verona, that at times it felt their attacking motions were instinctive.

But big wins like this do not come by chance, instead by quick thinking from the players as they seek to build up as large a lead as possible.

Roma remained sharp for most of the match – apart from the lapse that saw them concede a consolation goal two minutes after their own last of the game. But that fifth goal of their own highlighted the confidence under which they were thriving.

After receiving Giugliano’s pass, Lazaro could quite easily have taken the safe option by passing to Serturini on her left. Instead, she emphasised her newly regained confidence by continuing with the ball towards goal and deciding to shoot from the edge of the area.

Although not the furthest out she will have ever scored from, it was still a fairly bold move, especially when Roma were under little pressure to add to the scoreline. However, they wanted to maintain their standards for as long as possible, and Lazaro ensured they did.

Her choice to execute a lobbed finish paid off, as her clever strike put the icing on the cake of an important win from which her side can build.

When players are being as decisive as that on the pitch, it makes things much simpler for coach Alessandro Spugna, who had already got the balance right with how he set the side up and earned his biggest win since taking charge yet as a consequence of both the overall functionality of the unit and moments of individual brilliance like each of Lazaro’s goals.

Key Fact

By scoring Roma’s third goal from the penalty spot, Andressa became just the second player to reach double figures in a calendar year for the club.

Having scored eight goals across all competitions since the turn of the year last season, Andressa now has two to her name from the current campaign.

The Brazilian needs just one more goal before 2021 is out to break the record for the number of goals scored in a calendar year by a Roma Women player, which is currently held by Annamaria Serturini, who netted 10 times across 2019.

Serturini herself could also match her own record after scoring a trademark finish against Verona to move onto nine goals for 2021.

It is becoming more and more apparent over time – not that any reminders were required – just how much Roma can rely on these two key players in particular when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, whether that be from the penalty spot like Andressa or that customary cut-in and strike from Serturini.

It will always be a team game, but good teams know who their focal points are – and Roma certainly have them in good measure.

Follow Samuel Bannister on Twitter: @SamBanno1