After a successful spell in Glasgow last month, where Roma beat Glasgow City and Paris FC, the Giallorosse moved on to the next round of the Champions League qualification process: a home-and-away game against Czech side Sparta Prague. After a lukewarm first half in which neither club found the back of the net last week, Prague drew blood in the 51st minute, potentially putting Roma on the back heel ahead of the second leg. today.
However, thanks to a goal from Elisa Bartoli in the 77th minute and a thunderbolt from Emilie Haavi in the 90th minute, the capital club now hold the ground at Tre Fontane, the fourth and final stop on the route. from Roma to the Champions League group stage. With a one-goal advantage in the back pocket, Alessandro Spugna’s side should be brimming with confidence heading into today’s game but, as always, Spugna played it safe.
“We don’t have to think about the result of the first leg. We have to play our game, show what we can do and try to win. That would mean we would go through to the group stage. That’s our goal.”
When asked what worries him the most about Sparta Prague, Spugna didn’t mince words.
“Their physicality and their experience. They are a very physical team. They have players with a lot of experience in this competition. Many of them play for the national team, so that is the most important thing for them.”
Roma managed to weather this storm last week (and on the road no less), but before we dive into the details of today’s game, a quick look back at the first leg in Prague.
September 21: Sparta Prague 1, Rome 2
So that you can do “Yes, but” Where “What if” dance after any game, last week’s final score was a bit misleading. With missed chances from Giada Greggi, Manuela Giugliano and Valentina Giacinti in the first half, Roma could have opened the second half with a two-goal lead, setting the stage for a 45-minute walk to wrap up the first leg .
Give Prague credit for capitalizing on a odious Giugliano’s mistake, but factor in misfires from Paloma Lázaro and Benedetta Glionna deep into the second half, and Roma could easily have gone four or five winners to zero last week.
However, as Spugna mentioned, last week’s results don’t matter, so let’s look at what it takes…
Three in the back?
While Spugna did his best to deflect all tactical questions during his pre-match chat with Roma TV, he may have no choice but to switch gears from his favorite backline. of four women. With star centre-back Elena Linari and full-back Lucia Di Guglielmo out with leg injuries, Spugna stuck to their four-way approach against Prague in the first leg, using Moeka Minami and Carina Wenninger in the middle with Bartoli and Elin Landström in as a full-back.
However, last weekend against Fiorentina, Spugna mixed the cards, using Minami, Wenninger and Beata Kollmats at the heart of a 3-5-2, with Annamaria Serturini and Benedetta Glionna as wingers.
If, as Spugna claims, Prague’s calling card is their physique, then perhaps Serturni and Glionna’s use of pace, agility and dribbling could overwhelm Prague, paving the way for a place in group stage.
Can they finish?
As long as they haven’t been spellbound by the bottom of the goal enough like José Mourinho’s side, the Giallorosse dented the goal posts from Glasgow to Prague and everywhere in between. The good news is that Spugna has more attacking options than ever, especially now that Valentina Giacinti (three goals in her last four) is starting to warm up. Between Giacinti, Lázaro and even Sophie Roman Haug, who scored her first goal of the year against Fiorentina last weekend, the law of averages suggests that Roma’s luck will soon turn.
But take another look at these highlights and tell me what you see. With Giugliano and Andressa pulling the strings, Roma were able to exploit the Prague defense from almost every conceivable angle in the final third, Serturini and Haavi brushing aside the opposing full-backs while Giugliano and Andressa threaded ball after ball into the box for Giacinti. and Lázaro to feast on.
With cleaner finishes in the end zone, Prague won’t stand a chance.
After a successful spell in Glasgow last month, where Roma beat Glasgow City and Paris FC, the Giallorosse moved on to the next round of the Champions League qualification process: a home-and-away game against Czech side Sparta Prague. After a lukewarm first half in which neither club found the back of the net last week, Prague drew blood in the 51st minute, potentially putting Roma on the back heel ahead of the second leg. today.
However, thanks to a goal from Elisa Bartoli in the 77th minute and a thunderbolt from Emilie Haavi in the 90th minute, the capital club now hold the ground at Tre Fontane, the fourth and final stop on the route. from Roma to the Champions League group stage. With a one-goal advantage in the back pocket, Alessandro Spugna’s side should be brimming with confidence heading into today’s game but, as always, Spugna played it safe.
“We don’t have to think about the result of the first leg. We have to play our game, show what we can do and try to win. That would mean we would go through to the group stage. That’s our goal.”
When asked what worries him the most about Sparta Prague, Spugna didn’t mince words.
“Their physicality and their experience. They are a very physical team. They have players with a lot of experience in this competition. Many of them play for the national team, so that is the most important thing for them.”
Roma managed to weather this storm last week (and on the road no less), but before we dive into the details of today’s game, a quick look back at the first leg in Prague.
September 21: Sparta Prague 1, Rome 2
So that you can do “Yes, but” Where “What if” dance after any game, last week’s final score was a bit misleading. With missed chances from Giada Greggi, Manuela Giugliano and Valentina Giacinti in the first half, Roma could have opened the second half with a two-goal lead, setting the stage for a 45-minute walk to wrap up the first leg .
Give Prague credit for capitalizing on a odious Giugliano’s mistake, but factor in misfires from Paloma Lázaro and Benedetta Glionna deep into the second half, and Roma could easily have gone four or five winners to zero last week.
However, as Spugna mentioned, last week’s results don’t matter, so let’s look at what it takes…
Three in the back?
While Spugna did his best to deflect all tactical questions during his pre-match chat with Roma TV, he may have no choice but to switch gears from his favorite backline. of four women. With star centre-back Elena Linari and full-back Lucia Di Guglielmo out with leg injuries, Spugna stuck to their four-way approach against Prague in the first leg, using Moeka Minami and Carina Wenninger in the middle with Bartoli and Elin Landström in as a full-back.
However, last weekend against Fiorentina, Spugna mixed the cards, using Minami, Wenninger and Beata Kollmats at the heart of a 3-5-2, with Annamaria Serturini and Benedetta Glionna as wingers.
If, as Spugna claims, Prague’s calling card is their physique, then perhaps Serturni and Glionna’s use of pace, agility and dribbling could overwhelm Prague, paving the way for a place in group stage.
Can they finish?
As long as they haven’t been spellbound by the bottom of the goal enough like José Mourinho’s side, the Giallorosse dented the goal posts from Glasgow to Prague and everywhere in between. The good news is that Spugna has more attacking options than ever, especially now that Valentina Giacinti (three goals in her last four) is starting to warm up. Between Giacinti, Lázaro and even Sophie Roman Haug, who scored her first goal of the year against Fiorentina last weekend, the law of averages suggests that Roma’s luck will soon turn.
But take another look at these highlights and tell me what you see. With Giugliano and Andressa pulling the strings, Roma were able to exploit the Prague defense from almost every conceivable angle in the final third, Serturini and Haavi brushing aside the opposing full-backs while Giugliano and Andressa threaded ball after ball into the box for Giacinti. and Lázaro to feast on.
With cleaner finishes in the end zone, Prague won’t stand a chance.