Sometimes the scoreboard tells you everything you need to know, and sometimes it lies to you. On October 18th, when Genoa Women and Ternana Women meet in what the standings call a bottom-of-the-table clash, we're going to find out which narrative is true—because one of these clubs is far more dangerous than their zero points suggest.

Look, nobody circles "Genoa versus Ternana" on their calendar in August. This isn't Roma. This isn't Juventus. But here's what it is: a scrap between two teams that have shown they can score goals even when they're losing, which tells you something about their mentality. Genoa put one past both Lazio and AC Milan in defeats that came down to single-goal margins. Ternana—and this is where it gets interesting—went toe-to-toe with Napoli and pushed them to the brink, scoring three times including a 90th-minute strike when most teams would've already packed it in. That 3-4 loss wasn't a moral victory; it was a declaration.

The contrast in their defeats matters. Genoa has played twice and lost by a goal each time, conceding late in both matches. That's the profile of a team that competes for 80 minutes and then runs out of answers. Ternana? They got shellacked 5-0 by Inter in their opener—the kind of beating that makes you question everything—then immediately turned around and put three past a Napoli side that's been shut out in three straight matches since. That's resilience, or at least the appearance of it.

Here's the uncomfortable truth neither manager wants to hear: both teams are leaking goals like a sieve with a hole in it. Genoa's given up four in two matches. Ternana's conceded nine in two. The math doesn't lie, even if the effort level might suggest otherwise. What we're looking at is a match where the first team to 2-1 probably thinks they've got it wrapped up, and the first team to 3-2 starts checking the clock every thirty seconds.

The tactical battle—if you can call it that when both defenses are this porous—will come down to which attack can exploit the other's vulnerability first. Genoa has scored in both their matches, finding late goals against quality opposition. That 84th-minute strike against Lazio wasn't luck; it was persistence. The 45th-minute goal against Milan showed they can capitalize before the break. Ternana, meanwhile, netted in the 3rd, 64th, and 90th minutes against Napoli, which suggests they're comfortable scoring at any point in the match—or desperate enough to keep pushing regardless of the deficit.

The real question mark hanging over this match is simple: which version of Ternana shows up? The one that couldn't get out of Inter's way, or the one that scored three against a defensively sound Napoli side? Because if it's the latter, Genoa's got problems. Their pattern of late concessions suggests a team that tires, that makes mistakes when the pressure mounts. Ternana, coming off that gutsy performance against Napoli, might have the confidence to press for all 90 minutes.

But confidence and points are different currencies, and neither team has any of the latter. Zero points through two matches for Genoa. Zero points through two for Ternana. One of them walks away from this match still winless, still pointless, still staring at the bottom of the table wondering how it all went wrong so quickly. The other gets three points, gets momentum, gets to believe that maybe—just maybe—the season isn't already slipping away.

The smart money says both teams score. They've both shown they can find the net even in defeat, and neither defense has proven capable of keeping anyone out. What happens after that first goal—that's where this match gets decided. Does Genoa's pattern of late collapses repeat itself? Does Ternana's fighting spirit from the Napoli match carry over, or was that just the fury of a team embarrassed by Inter looking to salvage some pride?

What we're getting on October 18th isn't pretty football. It's not tactical brilliance. It's two teams that desperately need points, have shown they can score goals, and can't stop anyone. That's not a recipe for a defensive masterclass—it's a recipe for chaos. And sometimes, chaos is exactly what makes a match worth watching.