As the clock ticked down at Walton Hall Park, Aurora Galli and Martina Piemonte combined to deliver a goal that was more than a decade in the making.
Everton, who had not registered a home win all season, were being held by West Ham United, with hopes of either side finding a winner starting to dwindle with every passing second. That was until Galli’s inch-perfect free-kick was deftly turned home by Piemonte, who had only been introduced from the bench some 10 minutes earlier.
The duo have only been Everton teammates since last summer but their friendship dates back to their days in Italy’s youth ranks. And their affinity off the pitch paid dividends for a second time against the Hammers when Piemonte turned provider for her countrywoman, who rifled the ball past Mackenzie Arnold to seal a priceless three points for Brian Sorensen’s side.
“For me our relationship off the pitch definitely helps on the pitch,” Galli – affectionately known to her teammates as ‘Yaya’ – tells Women’s Football News. “We can speak together more, obviously, because we speak the same language. But even with our other teammates, we like to go out together and get a coffee and get to know each other even better because that helps on the pitch.
“When you see someone who is down in a training session or something like that, you know how to speak with them and that’s so important in a team because you need someone looking out for you. In this team there are so many people who care for each other.”
It is that sense of togetherness that has underpinned Everton’s resilience in the face of adversity this term. The departure of several key players plus a near-incessant injury crisis has seen the Blues struggle to consistently replicate the same impressive form that saw them secure a top six finish last season.
Indeed, when you look at Everton’s performances over the past couple of months, it’s hard to argue with Piemonte’s assertion that the Blues’ position in the table is not entirely reflective of their quality. Even in spite of all the challenges they have faced this term, Sorensen is adamant his side should continue to try and play attractive football and that is a sentiment shared by many of his squad.
“Compared to last season, we are not in a good position in the table but you can see how the team is growing and how we play is much better,” Galli says. “We just need a little bit more luck and then we get higher up the table. It’s just up to us to stick together and work hard every week.
“I love when we have the ball because I can decide when I want to pass and when I want to accelerate the game. Of course, if you don’t have so much possession then you just have to defend and you can’t control the game. Our first thought is to control the game and I think we’re getting better at that. It’s just the final part we need to keep working on.”
And, while the Blues may still have a way to go before they are competing for the league’s top honours, the impact the club’s Italian duo are having off the pitch is already quite remarkable.
“The support from people in our country is very important and we can feel it,” Galli says. “We’ve received so many messages from people who are following us from back home and I hope that never changes.”
But the continued cohesion within Sorensen’s squad is irrefutable and it is that familial feel that has helped Piemonte to settle in on Merseyside after joining Everton from AC Milan last summer.
“It’s fantastic for me to come here and meet Yaya,” she says. “When I was in Italy, I always asked what it was like in England and it’s important for me to have an Italian teammate here. Playing in the Women’s Super League (WSL) is the best thing as a women’s footballer and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”
For Galli, too, Piemonte’s arrival has been a blessing. The midfielder became the first Italian to play in the WSL when she arrived from Serie A side Juventus in 2021 and she is now relishing the opportunity to play alongside one of her international teammates at club level.
“I’ve been waiting to have one of my Italian teammates here so it’s amazing,” Galli beams. “I think it is good for the Italian league that two Italian players are playing in another country. Marti is a character so I love to have her in the team. I can joke with her, sometimes we fight, sometimes we laugh but this is what I want in a friendship.”
The mutual adoration between the pair, who also played together for Verona back in their homeland, is palpable, and it’s easy to see why both have cemented themselves as firm fan favourites on Merseyside.
“Marti is a very beautiful person. We were not so close when we were younger but in life when you slowly get to know someone over the years you understand each other better,” Galli reflects, before regarding her teammate and playfully adding: “Look, she’s getting emotional now!”
“I agree with her,” Piemonte laughs. “We were not so close a long time ago but we’ve grown and now our relationship here gets stronger every day. It’s so important because I’m new here so I have someone who can understand me and help me.”
Certainly, you feel that Piemonte’s acclimatisation to life at Walton Hall Park is integral to Everton’s hopes of climbing the WSL table. The striker scored 14 goals in just 24 appearances for AC Milan last season and, while she hasn’t yet been able to deliver those numbers at Walton Hall Park, there is a sense that her influence on Sorensen’s side is starting to grow.
“It’s totally different for me,” she says, reflecting on her first season with the Blues. “The first month I had to adapt here because it was a big change but I’ve been working hard and now I feel a lot better.
“I’m such a passionate person and I want it all now but I think we’ve been working so well as a team and in time I think we’ll be in a good way. I hope to score more and help the team more because we need more goals and the team deserves more.”
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