Mauro Icardi’s last-gasp penalty in extra time forced a shoot-out, but Radja Nainggolan missed as Lazio eliminated Inter to set up a Coppa Italia semi-final with Milan.
Mauro Icardi’s last-gasp penalty in extra time forced a shoot-out, but Radja Nainggolan missed as Lazio eliminated Inter to set up a Coppa Italia semi-final with Milan.
The Nerazzurri had a rough start to 2019 and needed to get back on track in the Coppa Italia, but missed Keita Balde Diao, Sime Vrsaljko and Stefan de Vrij. Ivan Perisic was only on the bench after his transfer request for Arsenal was rejected, while Borja Valero pulled up with a muscular problem during the warm-up and was replaced by Joao Mario. The Biancocelesti had to do without Luiz Felipe, Patric and suspended Danilo Cataldi.
Lazio have not beaten Inter since a 2-1 Coppa Italia quarter-final at San Siro precisely two years ago: January 31, 2017. That was followed by one draw from four competitive encounters, home and away.
Marcelo Brozovic’s volley flew high and wide, while Ciro Immobile drilled past the post, although he had also wandered offside. Antonio Candreva had two shots charged down in quick succession and Lazio wasted a counter-attack with a weak Luis Alberto finish straight at Samir Handanovic.
The Inter goalkeeper had to work a lot harder moments later, using his legs to parry an Immobile volley on the turn at the base of the near post. The visitors were beginning to swarm around the penalty area and Miranda did just enough to stop Sergej Milinkovic-Savic nodding in.
Immobile’s first touch let him down on a smart Correa through ball, allowing Handanovic to rush off the line and smother at his feet.
The Inter goalkeeper flew to palm a Luis Alberto curler out from under the bar, then somehow got down to parry a Senad Lulic daisy-cutter that had gone through Francesco Acerbi’s legs.
Milinkovic-Savic had plenty of power, but not enough accuracy to beat Handanovic on fantastic form, yet for all their dominance, Lazio risked going behind on 61 minutes.
Thomas Strakosha only beat away the Joao Mario snapshot – Inter’s first shot on target – and Antonio Candreva somehow managed to turn the rebound high and wide a couple of yards in front of an open goal.
Handanovic was called into action again on an Immobile scorcher and Candreva’s solo effort skimmed the upright from distance. Wallace managed to simultaneously get booked for a rugby tackle on Miranda during a counter and injure himself in the process, as his chin made contact with the opponent’s heel.
Despite scoring the infamous winner in their battle for fourth place last season, substitute Matias Vecino was still allowed a free header on a set play and it skimmed the crossbar.
In the final minute, Felipe Caicedo almost scored with his first touch, as Lazio broke on the counter from an Inter corner and Immobile sent him clear, but the substitute was denied by another magnificent Handanovic save. The goalkeeper again came to the rescue, fingertipping the Immobile curler round the far bottom corner.
Lazio almost paid for all those errors, as at the 94th minute Strakosha had his gloves stung by a Matteo Politano effort at the back post and Lautaro Martinez slipped on the rebound, shinning it over the open goal from six yards.
There was still time for one more twist, as Miranda performed a decisive tackle on Caicedo going clear. Neither side could win it and they went to extra time, although Simone Inzaghi was sent to the stands for dissent.
Icardi’s header was plucked out of the air, but there was controversy when Icardi had penalty appeals rejected for a Milinkovic-Savic push in the back and after discussing it with the VAR booth for several minutes, the referee didn’t opt to view it himself.
In the Coppa Italia this season, teams are allowed a fourth substitution in extra time, so Inter introduced both Radja Nainggolan and debutant Cedric Soares.
The deadlock was finally broken when Immobile exchanged a series of passes with Caicedo, as his finish took a deflection off Danilo D’Ambrosio’s shin to wrong-foot Handanovic at the near post.
Nainggolan blasted over, but Kwadwo Asamoah received a straight red card for his tackle at full stretch right on to Milinkovic-Savic’s ankle. However, the referee viewed it again on VAR and changed his mind to make it a yellow.
At the 124th minute, the referee awarded a free kick on the edge of the box for a Milinkovic-Savic body-check on Danilo D’Ambrosio, but VAR showed it was inside the penalty area. Stefan Radu was sent off for dissent. Icardi kept his cool under immense pressure to convert the spot-kick under Strakosha’s wrist to equalise with the last kick of extra time.
That meant it went to penalties and Lautaro Martinez saw a weak, central attempt saved by Strakosha, but Handanovic immediately cancelled it out by palming Riza Durmisi’s spot-kick round the post.
Icardi faced Strakosha again and chose a delightful Panenka chip, but Nainggolan blasted his penalty far too high and it might’ve got a fingertip off the goalkeeper, but was in any case over the bar.
Lucas Leiva kept his cool and converted the decisive penalty, sending Lazio into the Coppa Italia semi-final against Milan after eliminating Inter.
Inter 1-1 Lazio (aet)
Immobile 108 (L), Icardi pen 125 (I)
Penalties: Brozovic (goal), Immobile (goal), Lautaro Martinez (saved), Durmisi (saved), Icardi (goal), Parolo (goal), Cedric (goal), Acerbi (goal), Nainggolan (saved), Lucas Leiva (goal)
Inter: Handanovic; D'Ambrosio, Skriniar, Miranda, Asamoah; Gagliardini (Vecino 46), Brozovic, Joao Mario (Lautaro Martinez 81); Politano (Cedric 105), Icardi, Candreva (Nainggolan 105)
Lazio: Strakosha; Wallace (Bastos 69), Acerbi, Radu; Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva, Luis Alberto (Parolo 100), Lulic (Durmisi 80); Correa (Caicedo 87); Immobile
Ref: Abisso
Sent off: Radu 124 (L)