Fiammamonza out to guard top spot

AS Fiammamonza Dilettante will start the second half of the Italian women's Serie A season hoping the winter break has not slowed their momentum.

Tight defence
The league leaders went unbeaten in their first ten matches, relying on the tightest defence in the division to open a two-point gap ahead of ASD CF Bardolino Verona. Chiara Gazzoli has scored five goals for Fiammonza with Venusia Paliotti and Michela Greco each adding four. However, the team's 18 goals place them among the lowest-scoring sides in Serie A and pale in significance compared with the 34 rattled in by Bardolino.

Prolific Boni
Defending champions Bardolini lie two points off the top and led the way until they lost their final two games before the break against Fiammamonza and ACF Torino. In Valentina Boni, they possess the 18-goal leading scorer in Serie A, while strike partner Melania Gabbiadini has chipped in with eight of her own. They take on mid-table side Aircargo Agliana CF on Saturday.

Panico attack
Torino battled mediocre form last autumn and lie fifth, but will be a team to watch this spring. They can count on the services of Italy's star forward Patrizia Panico, who will be looking to add to her nine goals on Saturday when Torino take on Atalanta Femminile.

Oristano struggles
At the wrong end of the table, Atletico Oristano look sadly out of their depth, having failed to pick up a point and suffering 10-0 defeats against Bardolini, ACF Milan and Torres Terra Sarda. They face a daunting test against the leaders this weekend.