Posted in: 11/05/2022 – 23:50
Rome (AFP) – Inter won the Italian Cup for the first time since 2011, by winning the final 4-2 on Wednesday after extending their rivals Juventus at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, maintaining their chances of achieving the local treble.
Inter advanced early through Nicolo Barilla (6), but the “old lady” turned the table within two minutes early in the second half through the Spaniard Alvaro Morata (50) and Serbian Dusan Vlahovic (52), before “Niratsuri” imposed the extension with a penalty kick by the Turkish Hakan Calhanoglu (80).
Croatian Ivan Percic won the first overtime period with a penalty kick (98) and another with a superb shot (102), to bring Inter to their eighth title in the competition.
This was the third time that the two teams met in the cup final, and Juventus won the first two occasions in 1959 and 1965.
Inter had stripped Juventus of its Serie A title last season after a dominance of nine seasons, and the Super Cup title next January, and on Wednesday won its third successive victory over Juventus for the first time in its history in all competitions after the Super Cup and the return leg in the league.
While Inter is still competing to retain the league title, with two points behind its neighbor and leaders Milan, with two matches remaining, Juventus will leave its side empty-handed for the first time since 2011.
Inter denied Massimiliano Allegri from becoming the first coach to win five local cups after four titles in his first period with Juventus, which he won between 2015 and 2018.
As for Simone Inzaghi, who took over the supervision of Inter at the beginning of the current season, he won his second title in the cup after the first with Lazio in 2019 against Atalanta, knowing that he loves to play in the finals against Juventus because he comes out a winner, and the biggest proof of that is the three victories he achieved in the local Super Cup. Against “Bianconeri” (twice with Lazio in 2017, 2019 and once with Inter 2021).
© 2022 AFP