Karlernas and Skorvankova decide the Match: Como Women beats Lazio 2-1

The second consecutive victory arrives for Como Women, who defeated Lazio 2-1 in the early match of the eighth round of the championship at the ‘Mirko Fersini’ stadium in Formello.

This win allows Stefano Sottili's girls to reach ten points and occupy fifth place in the standings, awaiting Milan's match at home against Sassuolo.

The match was decided entirely in the second half, between the 74th and 77th minutes, with Karlernas and Skorvankova, who had just come on, making a decisive impact. Karlernas opened the scoring with a perfectly taken penalty that outsmarted the opposing goalkeeper, while Skorvankova followed three minutes later with a shot from outside the box that found the top corner.

These are the words of the Slovak player: “It was really a beautiful goal. When I found myself with the ball at my feet, I didn’t think twice and just shot. It was already exciting to come on for a few minutes in Sassuolo after being out for five months due to injury, but today I’m doubly happy because I played more and scored. The joy is mainly for the team and this victory. We are on the right path; we must not stop.”

Joy and satisfaction also for Astrid Gilardi, who made the save that denied Lazio an equalizer from the penalty spot just a minute after Karlernas’s goal: “I’m very happy about the penalty save, but especially for helping the team stay in the game. I’m glad for this result.”

Stefano Sottili's Analysis

“The positive attitude and the willingness to help each other allowed the girls to endure and turn the key moments in our favor. We’ve had better performances than today, but I saw the team play with great spirit of sacrifice: that’s the highest compliment I can give them.”

There was also great desire and spirit of sacrifice from the girls who came off the bench: “Today, those who came on did very well, but it’s happened before that players who enter during the match perform well. It’s not always easy to be ready when the game is in progress. As for Skorvankova? I teased her after the match, telling her she actually wanted to cross rather than shoot. We know she has great qualities; the goal is a fitting reward after a period of struggle. Her professionalism has allowed her to be available to the group in a relatively short time.”

A special mention for Astrid Gilardi: “I don’t like to talk about individuals, but today it’s right to give her credit. She comes from two good performances as a starter with the Under-23 national team, and today she was crucial in bringing home the result.”

On the standings: “It’s still long, and I don’t pay attention to the table; I’m more interested in the journey the girls are making. We need to keep moving forward on our path, knowing that we have a constant need to maintain this kind of attitude. With this approach, the girls can achieve many rewarding moments. The only downside was the late goal conceded: I would have liked to finish a match without conceding. We need to work on improving this aspect.”

Regarding the Coppa Italia: “I will definitely make some changes. In the coming days, we’ll assess the condition of the girls who played and see who will be available for the match on Tuesday. I hope we can deliver a good performance and progress in the competition.”

Before the match, there was also a moment of recognition involving Club President Stefano Verga, who was named ‘Ambassador of Good Actions’ by ARGOS, an association of police forces. He was awarded on the field by President Gianluca Guerrisi, Vice President Fausto Zilli, along with Riccardo Zilli and Giulio Guerrisi.

Match summary

Lazio Line-up: 1 Cetinja; 13 Oliviero, 27 D`Auria, 7 Connolly, 2 Reyes, 14 Zanoli; 25 Goldoni, 6 Eriksen, 20 Simonetti; 99 Visentin, 11 Le Bihan. Allenatore: Gianluca Grassadonia

Substitutes: 12 Karresmaa, 3 Belloumou, 5 Kajan, 8 Yang, 10 Moraca, 16 Castiello, 21 Colombo, 24 Pittaccio.

Como Women Line-up: 22 Gilardi; 14 Cecotti, 24 Rizzon, 44 Bou Salas, 6 Bergersen; 11 Conc, 27 Petzelberger, 20 Vaitukaityte, 7 Nischler; 28 Kerr, 9 Del Estal. Allenatore: Stefano Sottili

Substitutes: 2 Marcussen, 3 Guagni, 4 Spinelli, 8 Skorvankova, 10 Bolden, 13 Liva, 15 Bianchi, 16 Karlernas, 17 Sagen, 21 Picchi, 30 Ruma, 78 De Bona. 

Scorers: 74’ Karlernas, 77’ Skorvankova, 90’+4 Le Bihan

Yellow cards : 12’ Reyes (Lazio);

Red cards : 0

Substitutions : 56’ Picchi (Como Women); 68’ Karlernas e Skorvankova (Como Women); 79’ Kajan, Pittaccio e Moraca (Lazio); 84’ Marcussen e Bolden (Como Women) ;

MVP : Julia Karlernas 

Referee and Assistants: Gianmarco Vailati, Francesco Battistini, Marco Pilleri e Giovanni Ciannarella