Rome (AFP) – Inter Milan relieved Juventus of the last title they had left by getting their hands on the Italian Cup (4-2 ap) after a game with twists and turns, punctuated by two penalties granted to the Nerazzurri, Wednesday in Rome.
The two penalties, which allowed Inter to equalize 2-2 to snatch extra time and then take the lead in the extra half hour, will probably give rise to endless discussions.
But it was the starving Simone Inzaghi who lifted the Cup in this stadium which he frequented for two decades, as a player and then as a coach of Lazio.
His Inter can still dream of a national championship-Cup-Supercup treble, provided they catch up with AC Milan at the top of the championship two days from the end.
Juventus will conclude their first season without a title in over a decade (2010/11).
Giorgio Chiellini missed, at 37, the opportunity to win a 20th and final trophy with the Bianconeri before leaving the club where he has played since 2005. The captain formalized after the meeting his departure for the end of the season: “C It’s my choice, I do it with great serenity,” he told the press.
The joy of the players of Inter, winners of the Italian Cup in extra time against Juventus, on May 11, 2022 in Rome Isabella BONOTTO AFP
His trainer Massimiliano Allegri, excluded for having contested with too much virulence, missed the opportunity to be the first technician to win the Italian Cup five times.
The fluid of victory, which has accompanied Allegri for a long time, has indeed passed through the veins of Inzaghi and his Inter, not necessarily more brilliant in this match but who was able to come back with composure after being trailing 2- 1.
Perisic “always believed” in it
Taking advantage of a slow start to Juventus, Inter quickly unblocked the match with a perfectly curled strike from Nicolo Barella which left Turin goalkeeper Mattia Perin unresponsive (7th).
But once they entered their final, the Bianconeri were quickly dangerous.
They first fell on a good Samir Handanovic, impeccable on a low shot from Paulo Dybala (23rd), then a cross attempt from Dusan Vlahovic (24th) and a header from Matthijs De Ligt (30th).
But the Slovenian goalkeeper quite logically ended up giving in in an incredible start to the second half which saw Juve reverse the situation in two minutes: on a strike from Alex Sandro (50th) then on a full axis raid from Vlahovic, perfectly launched by Dybala (52nd).
Argentinian Juventus striker Paulo Dybala (g) beats Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella in the Italian Cup final on May 11, 2022 in Rome Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP
Inter, punished for their too wait-and-see attitude, then rushed to equalize but Perin intervened perfectly in front of Matteo Darmian (55th) then Federico Dimarco (71st).
It finally took the penalty sequence – a classic this season between the two clubs – to put Inter in front.
The referee first sanctioned an intervention by Leonardo Bonucci on Lautaro Martinez to allow Hakan Calhanoglu to equalize (80th) then a foul by De Ligt in extra time to offer a new penalty succeeded this time by Ivan Perisic (99th) .
Serbian Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic (g) faces Slovenian Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in the Italian Cup final on May 11, 2022 in Rome Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP
The Turinese were stunned, their bench in a rage, especially as three minutes later Perisic folded the case (102nd)!
“We always believed in it, even when we were down 2-1. We lost our minds for 10, 15 minutes but we reacted well, I think the victory is well deserved”, commented the Croatian on Mediaset.
For Juventus, the season is over. Inter, victorious in their 8th Cup, can still finish with a bang.