Two goals from Lautaro Martinez helped fire Inter Milan to a 3-0 win over fierce rivals AC Milan and into the Coppa Italia final.
Both Martinez first half goals put Inter into a commanding lead after a goalless first leg, and Milan could not find a way back into the tie.
Ismael Bennacer thought he had pulled a goal back for Milan midway through the second half, but it was chalked off by VAR. In the 82nd minute, substitute Robin Gosens sealed the win for Inter with a close-range finish.
The result means Inter will play either Juventus or Fiorentina in the final on May 11.
Inter got off to a fast start and took the lead in only the fourth minute. Matteo Darmian’s whipped ball from the right flank was met by Martinez who smashed his first-time volley beyond Mike Maignan at his near post.
Milan rallied and Samir Handanovic was forced into two fine saves to parry away fierce strikes from Rafael Leao and Alexis Saelemaekers around the half-hour mark.
Ivan Perisic made a sensational block on the goal-line to deny Franck Kessie from bundling in a goal for Milan just moments before Inter went two up five minutes before half-time.
Joaquin Correa ignited a Inter counter-attack and slipped a ball through the Milan defence for Martinez to coolly dink his shot over Maignan into the net, sending the Meazza into raptures.
Milan put in a far better display in the second half and it looked like they had halved the deficit when Bennacer drilled a shot into the net from outside the box in the 65th minute, but after a lengthy VAR review it was ruled out as Pierre Kalulu – who was offside – was deemed to have obstructed Handanovic’s vision.
The disallowed goal seemed to kill Milan’s momentum and Inter had little trouble seeing the rest of the derby out. Gosens added a third late on to book Simone Inzaghi’s side a place in the final.
TALKING POINT – DO INTER HAVE TITLE RACE EDGE?
Milan may be two points ahead of Inter in the Serie A table with five league games to go, but this defeat to their fierce rivals could prove telling heading into the final weeks.
Inter dominated Milan and their defence was shaky dealing with the double threat of Martinez and Correa. It is also worth remembering Inter have a game in hand which could see them leapfrog Milan into first.
Psychologically Milan will want to move on from this game quickly and ensure confidence does not drop heading into the decisive final weeks of the season.
MAN OF THE MATCH – LAUTARO MARTINEZ
Martinez once again showed why he is one of the world’s best strikers with a predatory display in front of goal. His first goal was superbly well taken while his second highlighted his ability to lose his marker with ease before producing a typically classy finish.
The 24-year-old will surely have plenty of Premier League clubs interested in signing him in the summer transfer window as he is set to cap off another prolific campaign in front of goal for the third successive season.
PLAYER RATINGS
Inter Milan: Handanovic (7), Skriniar (6), De Vrij (6), Bastoni (6), Darmian (6), Barella (6), Brozovic (7), Calhanoglu (6), Perisic (7), Correa (8), Martinez (9)
Subs: Sanchez (6), Dzeko (6), Vidal (6), D’Ambrosio (N/A), Gosens (N/A)
AC Milan: Maignan (6), Calabria (5), Kalulu (5), Tomori (5), Hernandez (6), Tonali (6), Bennacer (6), Saelemaekers (5), Kessie (5), Leao (7), Giroud (5)
Subs: Diaz (6), Messias (5), Krunic (5), Lazetic (5)
KEY MOMENTS
4′ – GOAL!! INTER ALREADY IN FRONT! Lautaro Martinez has fired Inter Milan ahead in the Coppa Italia semi-final! Darmian’s cross to the near post is fired on goal on the volley by the Argentine! Maignan was never saving that blistering strike. Inter lead!
40′ – GOAL! INTER ARE TWO UP THROUGH MARTINEZ AGAIN! Martinez scores again! Correa slips a ball through to his compatriot and he coolly dinks the ball over Maignan into the net. Inter have one foot in the Coppa Italia final! The Meazza is absolutely rocking.
65′ – WHAT A GOAL FROM BENNACER!! Bennacer’s free-kick is blocked and Inter have a corner. Hernandez’s cross comes out to Bennacer on the edge of the box and he drills his 25-yard strike into the bottom corner. Handanovic was rooted to his spot. Milan are back in this!
66′ – …BUT WE ARE GOING TO VAR Did Tomori handle the ball in the box from the corner before it came out to Bennacer to shoot into the net? The referee is going to the monitor… there is also a check for offside. Did Kalulu, who was offside, interfere with play and block the vision of Handanovic?
68′ – NO GOAL!! VAR has given its verdict and they say Kalulu interfered with play. Bennacer’s brilliant strike has been chalked off.
82′ – GOAL! GOSENS SCORES INTER’S THIRD! Inter are heading to the final! Just minutes after coming off the bench Gosens seals the victory for Inter. Brozovic breaks forward and squares across goal for Gosens to smash home from point-blank range. Adriano in the stands loves what he has just seen!
