Serie A: Matteo Darmian purpose sends Inter into Coppa Italia semi-final
2 min read
Events off the pitch in Italian soccer have gotten an rising concern after Juventus‘ factors deduction, but Tuesday night’s Coppa Italia quarter-final between Inter and Atalanta proved a welcome distraction.
The 1-0 victory for Inter was sufficient to ship them to the semi-final, though their purpose got here by means of a somewhat unlikely supply.
Matteo Darmian, previously of Manchester United, was shuffled into the beginning XI as a right-sided central defender, however he discovered the decisive purpose simply earlier than the hour.
Atalanta could not discover their ordinary attacking spark
Targets have been the system for Atalanta‘s current success underneath Gian Piero Gasperini, but they had been stifled by Inter’s defensive work.
Regardless of realizing that Milan Skriniar can be leaving the membership in the summertime after agreeing a free switch with Paris Saint-Germain, the defensive construction for the hosts was strong.
Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini tries to sort out Inter Milan’s Romelu LukakuAP
Hakan Calhanoglu supplied the most effective second of the first-half, firing a shot from distance and it rattled the right-hand publish.
There was little or no goalmouth motion till simply after the break, and this got here by means of Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine ahead was by means of on purpose when he felt he was fouled contained in the penalty space, however the official mentioned there wasn’t sufficient to award a spot-kick.
Atalanta missed a golden likelihood to take the lead simply earlier than Inter and Darmian scored.
Joakim Maehle was in the proper place on the proper time when a rebound fell to him simply yards out, however he one way or the other managed to ship his shot excessive above the crossbar.
Darmian managed a go on the sting of the penalty space after some tremendous work from Martinez, and the Italian defender smashed an instinctive rocket into the underside nook of the online.
It was a second of pure magic from the defender and it was sufficient at hand Inter a semi-final place, which ought to show some consolation to a membership that’s having their very own off-pitch struggles in 2023.
