Lautaro decisive: Coppa Italia is Nerazzurra again!
Team
— May 24th 20234 MIN READING
An El Toro brace gives Inter their ninth Coppa Italia. A fantastic achievement in a game that saw Fiorentina take the lead before the Nerazzurri turned it around in the first half. Nerazzurri celebrations at Olimpico!
It's ours, it's ours again. The Coppa Italia is black and blue and the Olimpico chants, it is an arena full of joy, of Interismo, of elation. It shines, their second trophy of the season. You look at the Coppa and see the reflection of Lautaro Martinez: his brace, his extraordinary double to overturn the match against Fiorentina, to make it 2-1, to bring Inter their ninth Coppa Italia in their history. How beautiful to win, how beautiful to do it all together, even suffering, showing heart, determination, and strong minds. There are parts of everyone, in this beautiful and deserved success: Handanovic's saves, Darmian's clearances, Brozovic's creation. Everyone, everyone has built this, together, another triumph.
In the textbook of a perfect final, there is certainly nothing about going down early after conceding a goal in the first three minutes of the game. But the Viola start surprised Inter who, yes, went behind immediately, after just over two rotations of the minute hand. A good turnover of the ball led to an Ikoné cross that flew across the box, finding Nico Gonzalez at the back post and beating Handanovic.
So, one goal down, Inter found themselves in the same situation as last year against Juventus: only one mission ahead, to overturn the match. This time, with 88 minutes plus to play. There was time, therefore, but it is also necessary to get themselves immediately into a match that started badly for them. Fiorentina, however, have physical and mental strength, play well in the spaces, found Bonaventura with consistency and then unleashing the creativity of the attacking wide players. It needed a jolt and it wass Bastoni's marauding runs that helped turn things around.
What Fiorentina conceded, however, Inter immediately won. The two-on-two between the centre-forwards and the defenders was often lethal. Dzeko sent his shot high past Terracciano in what was a great oppotrunity to score. In the 29th minute, Lautaro made the Olimpico shudder, finding the equalising goal, his 100th in an Inter shirt. It all came from a great bit of play from Brozovic, who set him up at the back post.
The goal was an unbelievable adrenalin rush, which literally threw the Viola off balance. The whole Olimpico was flooded with Nerazzurri energy and the second goal was in the air. When it arrived, in the 37th minute, it was a pure explosion of joy. It was provided by Barella, who held the ball well and whipped it in on the volley. Lautaro, then, was simply phenomenal: a half volley in the box, with the defender all over him.
The goal of a champion, putting Inter in the lead and in a position to control the game. Something not to be taken for granted because Fiorentina had a lot of weapons and a great desire to get back into the match. Italiano's changes made it clear: four attackers, all going forward. Inter, on the other hand, with the insertion of Lukaku, were looking for counter-attacks, but they knew they would have to pass through a narrow path of hardship before thinking about the trophy.
Right on time, the toughest moment of the match appeared after the half-hour mark, with the Viola's best effort. First Handanovic denied Nico Gonzalez a goal, then Biraghi tried from outside the box. The match was not pretty, but it was truly vibrant. When Gosens failed to score a great chance set up by Lukaku, Fiorentina were still alive. The dying minutes were all Viola, and Inter struggled, but resisted strongly.
The heroes were Handanovic and Darmian. Samir made an extraordinary save on Jovic from close range, then saw a header from the Serbian striker go wide of the net. Approaching the 90 minute mark, Darmian was crucial when he saved a certain goal with a header just a metre off the line, anticipating Cabral. Threats and suffering, managed with heart and character. Until De Vrij's break that broke the Viola pressure, brought the ball forward, took it away from the area, waiting for Irrati's triple whistle, sweet and expected, that leads us to the ninth Coppa Italia in our history.
FIORENTINA 1-2 INTER | FULL TIME
Scorers: 3' Gonzalez (F), 29' and 37' Lautaro (I)
FIORENTINA (4-2-3-1): 1 Terracciano; 2 Dodo, 28 Martinez Quarta, 4 Milenkovic, 3 Biraghi; 34 Amrabat, 10 Castrovilli (38 Mandragora, 60'); 11 Ikoné (33 Sottil, 60'), 5 Bonaventura, 22 Gonzalez; 9 Cabral. Substitutes: 31 Cerofolini, 51 Vannucchi, 7 Jovic, 8 Saponara, 15 Terzic, 16 Ranieri, 23 Venuti, 32 Duncan, 42 Bianco, 72 Barak, 77 Brekalo, 98 Igor, 99 Kouamé. Coach: Vincenzo Italiano.
INTER (3-5-2): 1 Handanovic; 36 Darmian, 15 Acerbi, 95 Bastoni (6 De Vrij, 58'); 2 Dumfries, 23 Barella, 77 Brozovic, 20 Calhanoglu (5 Gagliardini, 84'), 32 Dimarco (8 Gosens, 68'); 9 Dzeko (90 Lukaku, 58') 10 Lautaro (11 Correa, 84'). Substitutes: 21 Cordaz, 24 Onana, 12 Bellanova, 14 Asllani, 22 Mkhitaryan, 33 D'Ambrosio, 37 Skriniar, 43 Akinsanmiro, 50 Stankovic Coach: Simone Inzaghi.
Bookings: Bastoni (I), Martinez Quarta (F) Added time: 1' - 5'
Referee: Irrati. Assistants: Carbone, Lo Cicero. Fourth official: Fabbri. VAR: Mazzoleni. VAR assistant: Marini. Reserve assistant referee: Ranghetti.