Inter-Juve 1-0, Dimarco’s goal: Inzaghi in the Italian Cup final

Inter go to the final of the Coppa Italia and tomorrow evening they will know if they will probably challenge Fiorentina or Cremonese. Inzaghi’s men beat Juventus in the second leg thanks to a goal by Dimarco, who had already opened the ball in the Super Cup final against Milan. Deserved success for Lautaro and his companions because Allegri’s team, fresh from three knockouts in a row in the championship, does little or nothing to try to win. It had not yet been beaten in this 2022-23 by the nerazzurri. He lost perhaps the heaviest match and with it the possibility of playing the Coppa Italia in Rome on May 24th. For Inter it is a “historic” success: in the five previous semi-finals against the Lady they had always been eliminated. This time however…

DIMARCO GOAL

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In the fourth “chapter” of the season between Inter and Juventus, Inzaghi changes nine men compared to Sunday’s success in Empoli and in attack he lines up captain Lautaro and Dzeko, preferred to Lukaku, author of two goals against Castellani and “pardoned” by the FIGC president after the double yellow and the episodes of racism in the first leg in Turin. Allegri does not give forward points of reference with Di Maria and Chiesa: the injured Vlahovic is not called up, while Milik takes a seat on the bench. The tactical score is that of the other Italian derbies of 2022-23: the Lady in the non-possession phase awaits the right restart by staying completely holed up in her own half, with narrow lines that transform the 3-5-1-1 into a 5-4-1. So it was the Nerazzurri who made the match and had their first sensational chance with a nice cross from Barella on which neither Lautaro (all alone in the center of the area) nor Dzeko (disturbed by Bremer) managed to find the winning deflection. After about ten minutes Juve raise their center of gravity and press a little: they don’t want the confrontation to turn into a monologue, but Inter have now gathered courage and taken the lead. Calhanoglu verticalizes for Barella who “pits” splendidly for Dimarco from the outside: the left-handed fullback, kept in play by Kostic, scores the 1-0 after 15 ‘and goes to embrace Brozovic on the bench. The Meazza explodes. Lautaro almost doubled with a shot from the edge that Perin observed passing by on the back, while Bonucci and his teammates “beat” the first shot in the 25th minute with a dunk from Di Sciglio to the side of Onana’s goal. In the middle of the field it is Inter who lay down the law, with Rabiot struggling when Barella squeals rubber behind him and Miretti feeling uncomfortable. Inzaghi exploits the width and leans above all on the right, where Dumfries is very active, but does not break through or does not find the right measure for the winning cross. Allegri has little to Di Maria, who does not turn on and does not trigger Chiesa, and the game changes are sporadic: the only dangerous opportunities thus come from the incursions on the left by Alex Sandro and Kostic, with the Serbian calling on Onana to save. Perin does the same on a long-range shot from Martinez and Inter are ahead 1-0 at half-time.

MAX CHANGE

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At the beginning of the second half Allegri decides to make his formation more offensive by deploying Milik for Kostic: Chiesa goes to the left, the Pole plays the center forward and Di Maria is free to vary. Miretti and Locatelli try to shoot from outside, but it’s Inter who come close to making it 2-0. First with a goal disallowed for offside by Dzeko, then a cross from Dumfries not deflected on goal by Lautaro and finally with a great blow from Mkhitaryan on which Perin performs an authentic miracle. Inzaghi wants to give the decisive shoulder and inserts Barella (who comes out not at the top due to a slight muscle discomfort) and Dzeko for Brozovic and Lukaku, Allegri also throws Paredes (for Locatelli, just booked) and Danilo (for Bonucci) into the fray. Juve tries to shake up with a left foot from Di Maria, but the shot is central and Onana doesn’t risk it. Gosens and Correa enter for Dimarco and Lautaro: the Nerazzurri coach’s goal is clear to have fresh energy to face the final assault by the black and whites who also throw Pogba into the fray for Miretti. The Frenchman follows in Brozovic’s footsteps, but above all makes the formation even more offensive (4-2-3-1). Calhanoglu, struggling with an adductor annoyance, raises the white flag and Gagliardini enters. Onana defuses a through ball from Milik on Chiesa by hitting low like a cat. The last few minutes are thrilling, with Juventus trying to keep the ball more, but without having clear ideas. And so Inter flies to the final without ever risking it.