World Footy News

The Italian national women's side defeated Bolivia 36-10 in Fontanafredda last weekend, achieving their first-ever victory.

Team Bolivian were represented by a squad of Bolivians playing footy in the new Italian women's league, which kicked off recently with 4 active clubs, and 2 more hoping to join soon.

This report courtesy of Daniela Scalia.

6-a side O'Rules, ITALY-BOLIVIA in Fontanafredda (Polcenigo)

The days after taste so good both for Italy and Bolivia, the two Women's national sides who crossed paths in Fontanafredda throughout the weekend for the first Italian women's victory ever.

It was a hard fought match from the beginning, with the Bolivians having the best attack of the ball on the ground and the Italians dominating with kicks, handballing and general play.

Defeated, but definitely happy of giving it their all, the Bolivians play in the italian cup as “Latinas”, in order to involve girls from other nationalities. The skipper is Sonia Fernandez Flores, who dropped italian eligibility to start her own national team, and the coach is the swiss defender Angelo Raimondi.

The match was played at the home of the Polcenigo Cats, with the host club represented by the tough defenders Chiara Chisulin, Elisa Gallo and striker Demy Tomasi.

No luck for the anchor woman and founder Daniela Scalia who had to give up after two minutes of play with a longtime sore knee, but cashed the satisfaction of playng alongside sisters Valeria and Claudia, at her international debut.

The 6-a-side format seems to work very well with 4 active clubs and 2 more soon to join the “O'RULES” tournament. Polcenigo enjoys the tightness of the club and the dedication of coaches couple Modolo & Scaviolo, the Juliets Verona keep monstering the championship, Milano Latinas are thriving on the double duty of club and proud nation, while the newcomers the Doms Milano, coached by the famous Rugby and AFL commentator Gianluca Veneziano, could field two impressive players like Alice Torra, a Jude Bolton type youngster, and skilled forward Federica Cazzaniga.

Referee Armando Colombo had no discipline issue to work out: extreme discipline and fair play matched crunching tackles and Brent Guerresques bumps all around the pitch. A remarkable contrast that really impressed.

The Lugano Bankers ladies are training to join in as soon as possible: "It is a matter of weeks before we phone Doms Milano for the first match” said coach and Switzerland Midfielder Mattia Sacchi. Lugano will mean a Swiss team as well, so, the first 3 Nations between Italy, Bolivia and Switzerland is soon to be seen. Waiting for some news from the newborn Paris Cockerels women's side.

Scorers for Italy: Valeria Scalia, Giorgia Ferrari, Anna Donatelli, Raffaela Plunger (Juliets Verona), Demy Tomasi (Polcenigo Cats), Federica Cazzaniga (Doms Milano).

Scorers for Bolivia: Sonia Fernandez Flores, Lilian Quispe Garcia, Jhanderin Vargas Molinas, Juanita Arteaga (all from Latinas Milano).