Sassuolo Calcio (Women) host Ternana (Women) at the Enzo Ricci on Matchday 7 of Serie A Women, and the fixture carries the unmistakable weight of a relegation six-pointer. Sassuolo sit ninth on 18 points, Ternana tenth on 17, and the two are separated by a single point in the lower reaches of the table. The assessment makes Sassuolo the more likely winners at 42%, with Ternana at 30% and a draw at 28%. A likely score is 1:0.
A fixture defined by the head-to-head anomaly
Ternana arrive with a psychological edge that few outside the two camps would expect. Against no other side they have faced more than once in Serie A have they remained unbeaten: a 1:0 victory in November 2025 and a 1:1 draw in March 2026 make this the one opponent the rossoverdi have never lost to. That record is recent, relevant, and directly at odds with the league table.
For Sassuolo, the pattern is a source of frustration rather than fear. They have matched Ternana closely in both meetings, conceding the opener in the away defeat and responding through Kassandra Missipo in the draw. The gap between the sides has been fine, and home advantage offers the clearest route to correcting it.
Sassuolo's home form is the foundation—and the problem
Sassuolo have taken just 8 points from 11 home matches this season, a record of two wins, two draws and seven defeats. That is not the profile of a side that can afford to treat any home fixture as a guaranteed platform, and it explains why the assessment, while favouring the hosts, stops well short of confidence.
The attacking burden falls heavily on Lana Clelland, who has five goals and four assists in the league, and Naomi Eto, whose three goals have come from a mix of starts and substitute appearances. Sassuolo average just 0.77 goals per game, the lowest return in the division, and their ability to turn territory into clear chances has been the defining weakness of the campaign. Against a Ternana side that has conceded 40 goals in 22 matches, there will be opportunities; the question is whether Sassuolo can take them.
Ternana's away travels and the attacking question
Ternana's away record is among the weakest in Serie A: one win, one draw and nine defeats on the road, with just four points collected. That solitary victory, however, came at Parma, a 2:1 success that proved the side can produce a result on unfamiliar ground when the game plan holds.
The focal point is Sofie Hornemann, whose three goals make her Ternana's joint-top scorer and one of the division's most productive newcomers. She has spoken openly of the importance of this fixture, framing it as a chance to “create a bit of distance from the teams chasing us”. That urgency is real: a defeat would leave Ternana level on points with a direct rival, with the head-to-head cushion already banked but the table tightening.
Selection concerns on both sides
Sassuolo have had injury questions to manage, most notably Poje Mihelic, who underwent surgery on a fractured fifth metatarsal earlier in the campaign. More recent availability reports have listed no confirmed absentees, and Clelland is expected to be available. The probable shape is a back three with Sara Caiazzo and Sara Mella central, Missipo and Maya Doms in midfield, and Clelland supported by Eto and Elena Dhont in the front line.
Ternana's squad has been stretched by longer-term absences, including Giada Pellegrino Cimò and Valeria Pirone, both of whom have faced extended spells out. The available attacking core still includes Hornemann, Giada Cimò and Stephanie Breitner, and the visitors are expected to line up with a back three or four behind a midfield built to deny Sassuolo space in central areas.
What the ninety minutes are likely to look like
The most plausible scenario is a cagey, low-scoring contest in which Sassuolo see more of the ball but struggle to break down a Ternana side content to defend in a compact block and strike on the counter. Sassuolo's home record and goal-scoring troubles suggest that a single goal could decide the outcome, and the 1:0 scoreline reflects that. Ternana's unbeaten record in this fixture gives them belief, but their away form is a counterweight that is difficult to ignore.
A narrow home victory would fit the pattern of Sassuolo's season: enough quality to edge a direct rival, but rarely comfortable. A draw would suit Ternana far better, preserving their head-to-head advantage and keeping Sassuolo within reach. The margins are thin, the stakes are clear, and the Enzo Ricci is likely to witness a match decided by the smallest of details.
Preview prepared from the match data · 14 November