Last Sunday, the Juventus Elite Girls team suffered a difficult weekend against tough opponents Shanghai United and lost 7-1. Juventus missed quite a few players due to injury and community lockdowns but were determined to fight. However, the opponents had a number of very skilled players who were difficult to contain, and it didn’t take long before they scored from a well-executed free kick. From there, the Juventus Girls suffered in terms of confidence. The first half ended 5-0 for the opponents.
At halftime, the coaches reminded the girls of their potential. Just last week, the team had played beautifully against equally difficult opponents, but the difference this week was not in skill but in mentality. The girls went back to the pitch with a clearer mind, seeing the second half as a different game.
As the second half began, the Bianconere seemed much more focused. Five minutes in, Angela gets the ball from the opponent’s throw-in and makes a great pass to the left wing. Vicky sprints, takes the ball, and scores clinically- a much better start to the second half! Though the opponents were able to score two more goals, Juventus were much more composed and did not give up.
Despite the result, the Juventus Elite Girls showed their ability to stay strong and recover even from a bad start. Losses like these against tough opponents are more than normal, especially for such a young team like Juve who are always learning and pushing to become better. This was also a good lesson for the girls to understand the importance of the mental game in football. Let’s keep working hard and get ready for the next match. Forza Juve!
