Inter dominates Lazio and flies to the final of the Italian Super Cup, where on Monday they will challenge Napoli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to play for the trophy. There is no match in the match between the Nerazzurri and Biancocelesti: the final 3-0 thanks to goals from Thuram, Calhanoglu (from a penalty) and Frattesi shows the gap in performance between the two teams, with Simone Inzaghi’s men (who goes in search of their fifth triumph in the Super Cup) who from the first to the last minute made Sarri’s team dance at will, at the mercy of their opponents for the entire match. A large-scale success which could have been, absurdly, even larger considering the amount of opportunities wasted by Lautaro and his teammates, who also hit two crossbars.
In front of almost 21,000 at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, the Nerazzurri put on a high-quality performance, making their bellicose intentions clear from the first minutes: very high pressure, intensity and great danger in the offensive zone. And soon it almost turns into an exhibition, because Lazio (who lose Zaccagni in the warm-up) never manages to find the countermeasures to Inter’s geometries. Barella and Thuram immediately got the ball to put Inter ahead but they couldn’t find the target, then the Frenchman again came close to taking the lead with a header. The third opportunity for the attacker is the good one: Bastoni’s cross, Dimarco’s heel and Thuram scores from close range.
Lazio’s reaction is all about a high shot from Vecino, for the rest it is an Inter symphony. On the counterattack, Dimarco fails to find Lautaro with a low cross, then Provedel has to save on a conclusion from the Argentine in two stages with Thuram lurking. In yet another build-up from below, Inter also created the best move of the match, a dance that led Barella to kick from inside the small area with a sure shot on the fly, but hitting the crossbar. It’s not over, because Thuram would have the ball for the brace but, launched by Lautaro face to face with Provedel, he is unable to find space to kick and then, after a rebound, he finds the save on Romagnoli’s line. All this just in the first 45′. A reaction from Lazio is expected in the second half, so it seemed like a bargain to have ended the first half with a single goal deficit.
But from the locker rooms it is still Inter who emerges meaner and more incisive. A naivety from Pedro, who touches Lautaro in the area, gives the Nerazzurri the opportunity to double their lead: Marchetti, after reviewing the action at the VAR, concedes the penalty which Calhanoglu converts. The Biancocelesti, stunned by the cold shot, slip again, with Lautaro coming close to making it 3-0 served by Barella but his right-footed shot hits the crossbar. Sarri plays the Luis Alberto card to try to reopen the match and the move seems to work, because for a few minutes Lazio seems to finally get into the game, raising the pace and pressure.
But it’s only a very brief flash, because Inter immediately takes control of the match and in the final they find the 3-0 with Frattesi which closes the match and sends the Nerazzurri to the final with the goal of a hat-trick in their sights after the last two Super Cups won .
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