Fiorentina’s Scudetto Pool campaign did not get off to the best of starts on Friday evening, as they fell to defeat against league leaders Roma. The visitors came away as 1-5 winners at Sesto Fiorentino.

Roma broke the deadlock early on through Valentina Giacinti, who latched on to Giada Greggi’s ball over the top. Stephanie Breitner slipped and the Italian striker capitalised, slotting it past Katja Schroffenegger in the 11th minute. Just ten minutes later, Manuela Giugliano made the most of an error by the Viola goalkeeper, who miscontrolled a back-pass. Fiorentina tried to respond but the away side showed their quality and went on to score a third, with Giacinti striking again to make it 0-3 as the teams headed in for the break.

The second half saw Fiorentina come out with nothing to lose and the match picked up pace. However, it was Roma again who found the back of the net, when Carina Wenninger picked up the ball from Pauline Hammarlund’s goal-line clearance. The Viola reacted and this time got a goal themselves, with Alexandra Johannsdottir picking up her fourth of the season to make it 1-4.

The match continued to offer excitement, with Roma hitting the crossbar and Greggi forcing a great save from Schroffenegger. However, there was one more goal in the contest and it went to the Giallorosse, with Benedetta Glionna slotting it home. Fiorentina kept pushing but couldn’t find the net again, ending the match with 10 players when Annahita Zamanian saw red after an altercation with the referee.

The first act of the Scudetto Pool went Roma’s way, but there’s no time for Fiorentina to dwell on it. Next Sunday at 14:30 CET, they are set to face Milan.

ACF FIORENTINA 1-5 ROMA (HT: 0-3)
Goalscorers: Giacinti 11, 28; Giugliano 21; Wenninger 47; Johannsdottir 51; Glionna 76.

ACF FIORENTINA: Schroffenegger, Agard, Breitner (Catena 75), Tortelli (C), Parisi (Longo 46), Tucceri Cimini, Erzen (Cafferata 75), Johannsdottir, Zamanian, Boquete, Hammarlund.
Subs not used: Jackmon, Kajan, Mijatovic, Severini, Baldi, Vitale.
Coach: Patrizia Panico.

AS ROMA: Ceasar, Minami, Cinotti, Andressa (Di Guglielmo 71), Giacinti (Glionna 63), Giugliano (C) (Losada 63), Haavi (Selerud 71), Serturini, Greggi (Ciccotti 80), Wenninger, Linari.
Subs not used: Landstrom, Kajzba, Kollmats, Ohrstrom.
Coach: Alessandro Spugna.

Bookings: Cinotti (yellow); Zamanian (red).