Edin Dzeko and Alexis Sanchez were on target as Inter Milan swatted aside AS Roma to progress to the semifinal of the Coppa Italia.
Serie A champions Inter Milan took one step closer to winning their first Coppa Italia title since 2011 when they swatted aside Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma to progress to the semifinals.
The Nerazzurri went into the game on the back of a frustrating loss in the Milan derby, giving Roma some hope of a victory. Simone Inzaghi’s side, however, rallied together and put in a performance that largely nullified Mourinho’s tactics from start to finish.
Inter got off to a perfect start thanks to former Roma striker Edin Dzeko, who volleyed home Ivan Perisic’s cross in the second minute. The home side threatened to run riot in the opening exchanges and went close to doubling their lead when Nicolo Barella’s effort struck the crossbar.
2017 – Inter have kept the clean sheet in a Coppa Italia home match for the first time since December 2017 (0-0 against Pordenone back then, with the following victory after the penalty shoot-outs). Locked.#InterRoma #CoppaItalia pic.twitter.com/m74ugNKxv1
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) February 8, 2022
Roma, however, did their best to get back into the game with Tammy Abraham in the thick of things. The Englishman saw an effort go wide before putting Nicolo Zaniolo through, only to be denied by Samir Handanovic.
The Nerazzurri goalkeeper was alert to tip over another opportunity in the second half to keep his side ahead. Alexis Sanchez put the game beyond doubt when he found the net in the 68th minute to make the score 2-0. They will now face either AC Milan or Lazio in the semifinal.
The Hard Tackle looks at how the Inter players fared on the night.
Samir Handanovic (5/10)
The veteran goalkeeper had a mixed night where he showed off his best and worst. He made several stops when the score was 1-0, giving his side breathing space to play on the front foot. His judgement in rushing out and collecting crosses continues to be suspect, and a better side than Roma could punish him should they choose to.
Danilo D’Ambrosio (6.5/10)
Italian put in a solid shift that stood up well to anything Roma threw at him. He was excellent in the air and looked pretty much unbeatable at the back at times. His good form bodes well for Simone Inzaghi ahead of a crucial set of fixtures.
Milan Skriniar (7/10)
He started at the heart of the defence and deserves credit for doing well and organizing the backline. Skriniar was also at hand to save Handanovic’s blushes on more than one occasion.
Alessandro Bastoni (6/10)
The Italian looked solid on the night and was a rock at the back on the left. He was unfortunately taken off injured in the 44th minute, and it remains to be seen just how serious it is. With key games to come, Inzaghi cannot afford to lose one of his first-choice centre-backs.
Skriniar is my captain. Best wishes to Bastoni. pic.twitter.com/6bBbgD5v2M
— FedeNerazzurra (@FNerazzurra1908) February 8, 2022
Matteo Darmian (6/10)
As usual, the veteran was solid in defence and looked up for the game. Roma found little joy against him and often saw themselves coming out second best in duels.
Marcelo Brozovic (6/10)
The Croatian continues to pull the strings effectively in midfield and orchestrated well in the middle of the park. He can, however, count himself lucky not to receive a second yellow card.
Arturo Vidal (6/10)
The Chilean continues to perform as a dynamic presence in the middle of the park and once again put in a shift filled with energy and intent. He did not, however, contribute much to the offence.
Nicolo Barella (6/10)
The Euro 2020 star is surely getting back to his best and began the game brightly. He almost doubled Inter’s lead in the first half but saw his strike crash off the crossbar.
Ivan Perisic (7/10)
The veteran winger was taken off with a knock against AC Milan, but returned to the starting XI to deliver a match-winning performance. His pinpoint cross helped Dzeko put Inter ahead in the second minute and he continued to run up and down the left flank, causing Roma numerous problems.
Alexis Sanchez (6/10)
The Chilean has seen an upturn in his fortunes of late. However, this was not one of his best performances. He did turn up in the 68th minute to give his side a much needed two-goal cushion.
Edin Dzeko (6/10)
The former Roma man put his side to the sw0rd early on with a wonderful volley from Perisic’s assist. He offered little otherwise but was ready to defend from the front when needed.
2 – Edin #Dzeko has found the net in the first two minutes of play of a match, considering all competitions, for his first time since his arrival in Italy in 2015/16 season. Flames.#InterRoma #CoppaItalia
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) February 8, 2022
Substitutes
Stefan de Vrij (6/10)
The Dutchman replaced Bastoni in the first half and held his own in the defence.
Lautaro Martinez (6/10)
The Argentine replaced Dzeko in the 75th minute and had a couple of opportunities to pile further misery on Roma. However, he appears to be missing his usual composure when finishing off chances.
Hakan Calhanoglu (N/A)
The Turkish international replaced the excellent Barella as the Italian began to tire.
Matias Vecino (N/A)
He was brought on in the 85th minute for Vidal as Inter sought to see the game out.
Denzel Dumfries (N/A)
The third member of the 85th-minute triple change from Inzaghi.