Barça Women 5-1 Roma Femminile: Semifinal bound after a dominant display
The Spotify Camp Nou once again played to host a great performance by Barça Women, who this time defeated Roma Femminile 5-1 in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinal to book their place in the semifinals against either Chelsea or Lyon.
Coach Jonathon Giraldez kept faith with the same starting line-up from the first leg 0-1 win in the Stadio Olimpico. Former Barça players Lozada and Alves started for Roma.
High press from the off
In a sign of things to come, the Catalans were quickly into their stride, pressing high, with Graham Hansen looking dangerous again on the right, flashing a left foot shot wide after just two minutes. Roma responded and Paños had to be quick out of her box to snuff out a counter attack shortly after.
That was about the best it would get for the Italian side in the first half, as after 11 minutes, Mapi Leon swung in a cross from deep, and the header out fell nicely for Rolfö who hit a great half volley with her weaker foot to open the scoring, 1-0.
Graham Hansen was tormenting the Roma defence with her dribbling, both cutting in to shoot or running to the bye line to cross, and the second goal seemed imminent. However, it was Mapi León who got the second on 33 minutes, with a left foot shot from way outside the box to make it 2-0, much to the delight of the crowd.
The Spotify Camp Nou crowd were enjoying themselves, with Mexican waves going around the ground during one stoppage in play. Then, in first half stoppage time, a well-worked team goal ended with Graham Hansen again crossing from the right
for Rolfö to guide in her second at the far post, 3-0 at the break.
Carnival atmosphere
Barca began the second half as they started the first and it wasn’t long before the fourth goal came, Aitana Bonmati escaping down the right and crossing for Oshoala to score inside the penalty box after 46 minutes, 4-0.
It looked like it was going to have to be damage limitation for Roma when Patri seemed to have the freedom of the Spotify Camp Nou to guide a header from a Graham Hansen corner into the far post for 5-0 after 53 minutes.
However, Roma had other ideas and one of their counter attacks paid off, Sertolini scoring into the far left corner of the goal across Paños to make it 5-1 five minutes later.
The rest of the match saw a plethora of changes for both sides, while the carnival atmosphere continued among the crowd. Barça continued to press and create chances, but the Roma defence held firm, and the Italian side created a few chances of their own to no avail.
Final score 5-1 (6-1 on aggregate) and into the Champions League semifinals to face either Chelsea or Lyon. Next up though is a trip to Murcia to play Alhama Feminino in the Liga F on 2 April, kick off 6pm CEST.
Game stats
Barça Women: 5
Roma Femminile: 1
Barça: Paños; Bronze, Paredes, Mapi León (Jana 74'), Rolfö (Rábano 80); Patri, Aitana, Walsh (Engen 66'); Graham Hansen, Oshoala (Geyse 66') and Paralluelo (Bruna 66').
Roma: Ceasar; Bartoli (Di Guglielmo 54'), Wenninger, Linari, Minami; Serturini, Giugliano, Losada (Greggi 46'), Haavi (Glionna 54'); Andressa Alves (Ciccotti 78') and Giacinti (Kramzar 74').
Goals: 1-0, Fridolina Rolfö (min. 11); 2-0, Mapi León (min. 33); 3-0, Fridolina Rolfö (min. 45+2); 4-0, Asisat Oshoala (min. 46), 5-0, Patri Guijarro (min. 53); 5-1, Annamaria Serturini (min. 58).
Referee: Riem Hussein. Yellow cards for Oshoala and Jana Fernández from Barça.
Attendance: 54,667