Pre-match

Fiorentina manager Antonio Cincotta made full use of his new players; 5 of his starters were summer signings. Inter Milan boss Attilio Sorber, on the other hand, mostly started who we expected, although ex-Viola star Ilaria Mauro was on the bench.

First half

Alice Regazzoli stung the bar early on with a looping free kick that may have surprised Fiorentina goalkeeper Katja Schroffenegger, who was lucky not to concede a spectacular effort.

Daniela Sabatino opened her Fiorentina account with a simple finish after Marta Mascarello brilliantly spotted Frederikke Thøgersen’s run in behind and played the Dane through; one perfectly placed cross later and the Viola had the lead.

They nearly threw it away direct from the restart, though, but Schroffenegger redeemed herself with an incredible double save.

Just before the half, Julie Debever obviously pulled down Sabatino in the box after the striker neatly boxed her out to receive the ball, and referee Marotta immediately pointed to the spot; it was so clear-cut that the Inter players didn’t even protest. Sabatino took the PK herself and stitched it into the very bottom right corner; even though goalkeeper Roberta Aprile guessed right, she never could’ve reached it.

Second half

Fiorentina kept their foot on the gas and got the payoff via midfielder Marta Mascarello. Leftback Martina Zanoli provided a perfectly-measured cutback and Mascarello responded with an absolute stunner into the corner.

And, because there’s no way that Tatiana Bonetti wasn’t getting in on the fun, she added a fourth moments late, driving forward and slotting home a typically flawless finish on the run with her left.

Full time

Goals: Sabatino 37’ (ass. Thøgersen) 43’ PK, Mascarello 60’ (ass. Zanoli), Bonetti 61’

Cards: Zanoli 82’; Simonetti 53’

Movement in the standings

Well, would ya look at that? Fiorentina are capolista. Life is fine.