INTER BOOK COPPA ITALIA FINAL PLACE AFTER BEATING AC MILAN IN A BATTLE OF THE MILANESE.
Lautaro Martínez’s brace led Inter Milan to the Coppa Italia final and extended their unbeaten run to ten after ‘I Nerazzurri’ thumped city rivals AC Milan 3-0 at the San Siro.
After having to wait seven weeks for the second leg of the much anticipated Derby Della Madonnina, with the aggregate score deadlocked at 0-0, the fervent Milanese crowd made themselves heard from the outset. But it was the home support that were sent into delirium just four minutes in when Matteo Darmian clipped a low pass to Inter’s top scorer Lautaro Martínez who rifled a first time volley into the roof of the net for his fourth goal in seven matches.
Aware that an away goal could count for double in this season’s Coppa Italia, AC Milan dominated possession and Alexis Saelemaekers had the best half chance when he unleashed a testing half volley from 20-yards that Samir Handanovič was equal to. Yet, ‘I Nerazzurri’ continued to look dangerous on the counter-attack and they put AC Milan’s run of seven consecutive clean sheets to shame before HT as Joaquín Correa drove into the final third, slotted in Martínez and the Argentinian composedly chipped over Mike Maignan.
The ‘Rossoneri’ were going to need something special to breach an Inter backline that had shipped just three goals in nine matches and Ismaël Bennacer thought he had produced the spectacular by lashing in a loose ball on the edge of Inter’s area, only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside in the build up. AC Milan continued to push, but with time running out it was ‘I Nerazzurri’ who sealed the tie when Marcelo Brozović’s cut back found Robin Gosens, who tapped into an empty net.
Having now won four matches in a row, Inter are picking up momentum ahead of their season run-in, which will include a Coppa Italia final appearance and a close-fought title race with AC Milan. Stefano Pioli will be disappointed that his AC Milan side conceded three and the ‘Rossoneri’ will need to get back on track quickly in Serie A to maintain their slender two point lead over Inter.
