2022 in Review: Roma Women go from strength-to-strength

2022 was certainly one containing many good memories for Roma Women, who rounded off their most successful Serie A Femminile season yet in the first half of the year, and in its second finished very strongly both domestically and in their inaugural Champions League campaign.

It was a year in which their actions on and off the pitch proved the progress they have been making as a club, with several highlights along the way – not least adding the second trophy of their history to the cabinet.

Their target will be to replicate some of these memories – and strive for further success – in 2023. But for now, it is time to reflect on a positive 12 months as the players and staff recharge, ready to resume their 2022-23 season.

Here, we look back at one standout moment or achievement from each month of the year gone by…

January
Latest-ever winning goal

After losing to AC Milan in the Supercoppa semi-final at the start of the year, Roma’s first Serie A fixture of 2022 gave a sign of things to come by virtue of its drama and a positive conclusion.

Alessandro Spugna’s former side Empoli were the visitors to Stadio Tre Fontane and looked like they would be taking points away with them as they held on to a 1-0 lead going into the final 10 minutes.

Roma demonstrated their fighting spirit, though, when young substitute Mina Bergersen equalised 15 minutes into her debut for the club.

Unwilling to stop there, Roma would ultimately claim the full share of the spoils, in a manner unlike anything they had experienced before.

When they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time, Elena Linari showed her steely mentality to emphatically score the winner in the 98th minute – the latest ever goal scored by a Roma Women player – in order to complete a remarkable turnaround.

It would be a sign of things to come: the Giallorosse would subsequently embark on a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

February
Haavi’s scoring streak

Always alert to opportunities to strengthen their squad, Roma brought in several new, useful players midway through the 2021-22 season.

One example was Emilie Haavi, who had signed up in December 2021 and hit the ground running, enjoying a fruitful spell of form in her first couple of months that culminated in a four-match scoring streak between January and February.

Haavi scored a winner against Napoli in January, before a goal against Como in the Coppa Italia that same month. As the calendar turned to February, the wide player kept up her productive spell of form.

There would be a brace against Pomigliano in a 5-2 win, in which she also added an assist, before another goal against Como in the second leg of that cup clash.

Haavi’s form helped Roma reach higher standards overall. For instance, due to the role she plays, there was now even pressure on the club’s all-time top scorer Annamaria Serturini for a place in the starting lineup (although Spugna has sometimes found ways to utilise them both simultaneously).

By the end of 2022, Haavi would have double figures of Roma goals to her name, having hit the landmark of 10. With half of those having come in a three-week spell up to the middle of February, she had given herself a strong platform from which to enhance her status in Serie A.

March
Tightening grip on second place

By March, Roma’s objective of finishing in the top two was beginning to look more achievable. They made it more likely by earning a crucial win in their last fixture of the month against one of their closest challengers.

On paper, facing Sassuolo away should have been a tricky fixture. In the bigger picture, the fact that it came directly after league matches against other strong sides like Inter, Juventus and Milan meant it could have been an even tougher challenge than usual.

Yet after coming through those previous fixtures unscathed – beating Inter and drawing with Juventus and Milan – Roma went on to make relatively light work of Sassuolo in a 3-0 win.

Benedetta Glionna added a brace to Paloma Lazaro’s opener, which further put Roma in control of the race for Champions League qualification. With the hardest hurdles behind them, they could close in on their target.

April
Reaching second consecutive Coppa Italia final

In 2021, Roma had enjoyed their first major success in women’s football by beating Milan on penalties in the Coppa Italia final.

They would earn the right to defend their trophy in a second consecutive final when they beat Empoli 2-0 at the end of April (with goals from defenders Angelica Soffia and Elisa Bartoli) to conclude a 3-0 aggregate triumph.

Taking advantage of their position of slight superiority from the first leg, Roma delivered what was expected of them so they could experience the competitive cauldron of a cup final again.

Sadly, the following month’s final would not go in their favour, as they frustratingly lost 2-1 to Juventus after conceding twice in the final 10 minutes, but the experience gave them more motivation to try and turn the tables in the forthcoming season.

May
Qualifying for Champions League in record style

Roma went into their last home match of the 2021-22 campaign – and penultimate Serie A fixture – knowing that a positive result would confirm their place in the top two, in turn sending them to the Champions League for the first time the following season.

Fortunately, not only did they deliver the win they wanted to make sure of their status, but they did so via a record-breaking margin.

As Sampdoria came to Stadio Tre Fontane, Roma produced a devastating performance to win 8-0 on a day of numerous celebrations.

It also happened to be the occasion of Annamaria Serturini’s 100th appearance for the club, and she was the player to open the scoring.

Valeria Pirone added a brace, before Manuela Giugliano, Paloma Lazaro, Beata Kollmats, Sophie Roman Haug and captain Elisa Bartoli sealed Roma’s biggest win in women’s football yet.

Hence, Roma crossed the finishing line for Champions League qualification in style, prompting much anticipation for the following campaign.

June
Welcoming Wenninger

The magnitude of Roma’s first signing of the summer showed how seriously they were taking themselves for the season that was on the horizon.

Joining Spugna’s squad was Carina Wenninger, a name that might not have been on the radar of casual observers of the Italian game, but whose achievements in Germany with Bayern Munich spoke for themselves.

Wenninger made the first transfer of her career (on loan) as a three-time Frauen-Bundesliga winner from her time with Bayern, where she had amassed more appearances than any other player ever.

Even for those that might not have seen her play before, it was evident that Wenninger would be a useful player to have around.

Although her infusion into the team was more gradual than, for example, fellow defensive signing Moeka Minami, the Austrian has over time begun to transmit her experience in the process of becoming someone Spugna can depend on.

July
Valentina Giacinti joins

Sometimes a signing can have a transformative impact on a team. Roma discovered it in January 2021 when Elena Linari took their defence to a whole new level, and 18 months later, they would encounter a similar phenomenon at the opposite end of the pitch with the welcoming of striker Valentina Giacinti to their squad.

After all she had achieved in her career, especially with AC Milan, Giacinti needed no introductions. And in the first six months of her spell with Roma, the Italy international backed up her reputation convincingly.

Indeed, by scoring 11 goals for Roma before Christmas (from just 23 appearances), Giacinti matched the record for the highest number of goals by one player for the club in a calendar year (shared with Andressa Alves from 2021 and Paloma Lazaro from 2022 as well). Considering she has only been with them for half of it, her achievement is quite remarkable.

Giacinti’s goals so far have been valuable as well, with her experience elevating the club’s standards in matches of higher magnitude. Already, she has become a difference maker – and having a prolific centre-forward only serves to increase the team’s conviction in their ability to achieve positive results.

There ought to be much enthusiasm about what Giacinti can achieve over a whole year with Roma.

August
Winning first ever Champions League match

Not only was a new season dawning in August, but a whole new experience and chapter of the Roma Women story.

For the first time, their season would begin outside Italy, as they took to the Champions League stage as debutants.

First stop: Scotland. Roma had to step into Glasgow City’s home arena – in weather conditions that they won’t have been used to in Italy – to earn the right to compete for a place in the next round.

Their inaugural Champions League match ebbed and flowed, but Roma found their rhythm and proved their superiority with a brace from Glionna and a goal from Lazaro in a 3-1 win.

Following it up with a win on penalties over Paris FC a few days later at the same venue, Roma put themselves within touching distance of the group stage, needing to navigate one more two-legged tie to get there.

September
Starting longest-ever winning run

Standing in Roma’s way of a place in the group stage were Sparta Prague. The two clubs would meet on September 21st, a few days after Spugna’s side had suffered their first domestic defeat of the new campaign against Juventus.

The pressure was on, and it did not decrease when hosts Sparta took the lead. Fortunately, this round would be about longevity and perseverance, which Roma were prepared for.

Elisa Bartoli equalised with 13 minutes to spare, before Emilie Haavi scored a winner just as injury time approached to put Roma in an even healthier position ahead of their reunion on home soil eight days later.

Despite again falling behind first, Roma would secure an even bigger win, this time 4-1, to confirm themselves as being among the 16 participants in the group stage. No other newcomer to the competition could say the same, which exemplified just how well the Giallorosse had done to get there.

In the bigger picture, Roma’s form began to be mutually beneficial in their domestic and European commitments. The first-leg win over Sparta signalled the start of their longest run of consecutive wins (nine), as they saw off the Czech outfit twice, Fiorentina, Parma, Sassuolo, Slavia Prague, Como, St. Polten and Inter before capping things off with a trophy (technically after a draw) in November. But before then…

October
Stunning St. Polten battle

Roma’s second match of the Champions League group stage, away in Austria, was without doubt one of the most dramatic they had ever been involved in.

From dominating the opening proceedings, to going behind via a penalty, then seeing the deficit doubled just after half time, only to hit back with four goals of their own in the last 15 minutes, before conceding a late consolation that almost threatened to undo the hard work, it’s fair to say there was quite a lot to take in.

Elena Linari set the comeback in motion with a strike that emphasised the frustration Roma had been building up, before Giacinti showed significant desire to reach a rebound from Andressa’s missed penalty first in order to equalise.

Beyond then, Roma went for the win their performance deserved. Long-distance goals from Manuela Giugliano and Paloma Lazaro were enough to earn an advantage that St. Polten would not be able to come back from. The former in particular perhaps had a hint of good fortune – but after previous incidents in the match, it was about time for Roma to have some luck on their side.

Incredibly, Roma had taken 29 attempts at goal without scoring before finally finding a breakthrough with their 30th. Of the four further attempts that followed, three more were goals.

Spectators, staff and players alike will all certainly have needed time to catch their breath after, but Roma could at least be relieved they got the result their performance deserved.

November
Supercoppa success

By finishing as runners up in Serie A and the Coppa Italia in 2021-22, Roma had earned the right to compete with Juventus – the only side to outrank them in both competitions – for the following year’s Supercoppa.

After a number of frustrating results despite promising performances against the Bianconere in the past – such as the Coppa Italia final the other side of the summer – Roma would this time reverse the fortunes to lift the second trophy of their own journey.

Just like when they won the Coppa Italia in 2021, Roma emerged victorious from a penalty shootout to earn silverware, this time overcoming their toughest domestic opponent.

Camelia Ceasar added to her heroic reputation by saving two Juventus efforts in the shootout, including the decisive one right at the end after Giugliano, Linari, Lazaro and Haavi had all converted for Spugna’s side.

Beating Juventus by any means served as a significant confidence booster for Roma, who found themselves top of the league at the time and would end 2022 there, three points above the reigning champions.

December
Reaching the Champions League knockout stage

Roma’s status as league leaders is something they will be hoping to preserve in the formative months of the new year before the league splits and the size of the challenge increases.

But perhaps the achievement they can be most proud of in December is the fact that they have earned Champions League knockout football for 2023.

With a much less exhausting win against St. Polten second time around – by a 5-0 scoreline – Roma booked their place in the quarter-finals with one group game to spare.

They would keep a second consecutive European clean sheet – and a first on their opponents’ turf in this competition – by concluding the group with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague.

With Wolfsburg having won against St. Polten, Roma were confirmed as the runners up of Group B, behind the only side to have beaten them in the competition yet (although their draw with the Germans in November was a praiseworthy result in itself that should not go under the radar).

Just getting to the group stage had been an achievement for Roma as tournament debutants, so getting beyond it is an even bigger accomplishment.

There will be some big challenges in 2023, but Roma have momentum behind them from a 2022 to remember.

Follow Samuel Bannister on Twitter: @SamBanno1