Healthy Canadian international Grosso helps Juventus women to Super Cup triumph
Quebec's Evelyne Viens of Roma charged with own goal early on damp day in Italy
Julia Grosso played 89 minutes, helping Juventus lift the Italian women's Super Cup on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Roma and fellow Canadian international Evelyne Viens in Cremona, Italy.
The game, which marked Juventus' fourth Super Cup win, pits the Serie A champion against the Italian Cup-holder.
Juventus went ahead in the 12th minute on a Viens's own goal on a damp day at the Stadio Giovanni Zini. It came on a goalmouth melee after Arianna Caruso's corner found Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir at the far post. The Icelandic midfielder fired the ball back at the goal and Viens's attempted clearance went into the goal.
Roma tied the game in the 28th minute via a highlight-reel shot from just outside the penalty box distance by Japanese international Saki Kumagai that found the top corner. French midfielder Maelle Garbino put Juve ahead in the 54th minute with a quality goal of her own, curling a shot into the top corner from just inside the penalty box.
Roma had a chance to tie it in stoppage time but Italian midfielder Manuela Giugliano's shot hit the crossbar.
The final, which marked Grosso's first game since suffering an injury against Napoli in November, featured the two top teams in the women's Serie A. Juventus (19-1-2) tops the table, five points ahead of Roma (17-2-3).
Roma captured the 2022 Super Cup, edging Juventus 4-3 in a penalty shootout. Juve won 1-0 when they met in June to decide the Italian Cup.
Grosso, a 23-year-old midfielder from Vancouver, has won 47 caps for Canada. Viens, a 26-year-old from L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que., has 22 caps.
