March 25 – Juventus’s women captured the imagination of the public as they drew a record 39,000 fans to their first ever home game at Turin’s Allianz Stadium in a top-of-the-table 1-0 win over Fiorentina.
Tickets for the game were free and fans flocked in big numbers to the stadium to smash the previous record of 14,000 for an Italian women’s league game. Danish midfielder Sofie Pedersen scored the winner for the hosts with just seven minutes remaining to earn three valuable points. The Bianconere moved four points clear with the win ahead of Fiorentina at the top of the league.
“It doesn’t often happen to me, to score, and today it was really incredible,” said Pederson. “It is the most important goal of my whole career.”
“I’m happy all these people came to see us. We started well in the first half even though we were a bit nervous and we perhaps did not play our best game, but it was great to do it in front of this crowd.”
The defending champions have three matches remaining this season to retain their title. “It was a beautiful gift to play in this stadium,” said defender Lisa Boattin. “We felt great emotion for the whole week leading up to today and seeing all those people … left our legs shaking a little, at least in the first few minutes. Then we managed to control ourselves and bring home three very important points. The victory gives us more energy for the next matches.”
Earlier this month Atletico Madrid and Barcelona set the record for the best-attended women’s club game in history with 60,739 fans watching the encounter at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital.
The overall record for any women’s match remains the 1999 World Cup final when 90,185 people witnessed the United States triumph over China 5-4 on penalties at the Rose Bowl in California.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734864505labto1734864505ofdlr1734864505owedi1734864505sni@o1734864505fni1734864505