Inter win Coppa Italia! Lautaro hits brace on the big stage overpowering Fiorentina as Inter take back to back #1783

Inter Milan 2 Fiorentina 1FT

The Copa Italia final has finally arrived. Here on a Wednesday night in Rome at the stadio olimpico. Inter Milan meets Fiorentina. All paths lead to Rome as they say. As we prepare to see a clash between Two of the three Italian sides that have booked themselves a place in a European final. Inter Milan will face off in Istanbul for the Champions League final against Manchester City. Meanwhile, Fiorentina will clash with West Ham United in Prague for the conference League final. An opportunity for both sides to capture two trophies this season. Inter Milan has had a disappointing season considering their standards. They had to fight their way back into the European positions after showing stretches of inconsistency. They've seem to have gotten back on track despite their loss this weekend to league champions Napoli. Nonetheless, have found themselves in the Champions League final and an opportunity again on this night to win the Copa Italia. They had to go through Juventus in an incredibly tough semi-final to get here. They are the holders of this competition after beating Juventus on extra time last season. Inzaghi who has been under fire but this could vindicate his season with another trophy. On the other side Fiorentina has not won a trophy since a 2001 Copa Italia final against Parma. Now they have a chance not only to win one but both have had an up and down season but we've seen a recent resurgence under Vincenzo Italiano that have seen them climb into the top half with an outside shot of European football. Setting the stage for what could turn out to be a classic in Rome. Inter Milan trying to repeat as champions to set them up for the Champions League final in high spirits. While Fiorentina just looking to taste glory again.

A packed house in Rome. The blue of Milan on one side and the purple of Florence on the other. Substantial atmosphere for this final. It wasn't going to be anti-climactic. Drama ensued almost immediately. Inter Milan as the big favorites. However, the underdog in Florence struck Very quickly. It happened so fast that it caught everyone in attendance by surprise. The Viola in the third minute pushed into the attacking area releasing a ball from in close as Nicholas Gonzalez makes a run on the right side to meet the ball, slicing it into the back of the net. Fiorentina took a shocking 1-0 lead.

Thier supporters in attendance. Absolutely losing themselves. Many of them ripped off their shirts as we felt a level of explosion in the Sea of purple. It would be fiorentina's main man again as the Argentine gives Fiorentina the advantage. A rapid and perfect start for the boys from Florence. However, into Milan with the team that they have felt more than capable of getting it back on their own terms. In the 7th minute inter tried something through Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian spent 6 years of his life in this stadium. For the 260 matches he played for Roma. This is his home. There was a sense that he could find an edge. He supplied a headed pass to Denzel Dumfries as He follows through with a header of his own but was saved by the keeper. It was a bit of a back and forth affair.
Inter Milan upping the intensity looking for a way back in. Fiorentina went for it in the 24th minute as Gonzalez looks for the spectacular. Couldn't find the touch required. Fiorentina showing though that they are not to be pushed around and they have the qualities to hang around with this Inter Milan side. However, it wasn't before too long. That Inter Milan would level things in this final. In the 29th minute Brozovic does a brilliant job with a sliding tackle retaining the ball before sending a beautiful ball into Latauro Martinez as the Argentine made a brilliant run into the box, collecting it before making a silky finish into the bottom corner. The Argentine gets the equalizer for Inter Milan. As he continues to heat up at the right time with the champions league final not long away. It would be a historic moment as Latauro reaches the century mark on goals for the club.

The man they brought from racing club Argentina has come to Inter Milan and made everyone forget about Mauro Icardi. He has been the man with the big moments not only in the Copa Italia but in the league and champions league as well. He is the one they look to in their dark moments and most of the time he's able to pull it out. In the 37th minute he would go on to do it again. An unbelievable high delivery into the box sent from Barella found Latauro in the box. Inter Milan's superstar flew out of the air scoring an acrobatic strike that ripped through the roof of the net. Latauro at the double as Inter Milan take a 2-1 lead in this Final his 27th goal of the season as once again he steps up and delivers. A three goal first half comes to an end with Latauro being the difference erasing a quick fire start from Nicholas Gonzalez and Fiorentina. Inter Milan are now 45 minutes from retaining the Copa Italia.

Fiorentina couldn't contest with Martinez just as he got hot. However, they still felt very much in this. Even from behind prior to the explosion. From Milan they were applying pressure on the holders and had their moments. Fiorentina came out the second half extremely aggressive. They had nothing to lose at this point. They came all this way. They weren't going to go down without a fight. They were going to go down swinging. In the 50th minute on a free kick Biraghi delivers a well-connected ball into Castrovilli the midfielder managed to hook his head on the end but it drags wide. 3 minutes later they would get themselves another free kick this time Biraghi connected directly with power had the distance and the velocity on it but it rose too much at the end coasting over Fiorentina continued to create chances. Inter Milan set up their team extremely well and were able to handle it but for large stretch of the second half it was the Florence side doing the bulk of the attacking and creating the bulk of the chances. In the 57th minute Biraghi the facilitator again this time is sending a cross into the box finding Arthur Cabral as he gets his head on it but goes straight into the hands of Handonovic. In the 67th minute Inter Milan nearly killed it off for good. Barella with a brilliant ball threads Lukaku who had recently come off the bench. He had acres of space. It was a one-on-one until a few more Fiorentina shirts caught up. He came through as approaching the box. The goalkeeper comes out on impulse manages to get there as Lukaku was winding up taking a deflection off the keeper and going out as Fiorentina escape the situation unscathed. After the fact it swayed back in favor of Fiorentina. In the 73rd minute, Nicholas Gonzalez orchestrated a chance for himself from inside the box. Trying to hook it into the corner but Handovic making the necessary save. A few minutes later. Inter Milan got as close as it felt that they were going to get to another. They got on the attack as Lukaku orchestrated. A brilliant chance to put it away sending it towards Gosens the German followed through taking a strike from very close range. It took a slight deflection and missed the mark and what could have been the final nail to collect the trophy. A little over 10 minutes to go and Fiorentina we're not letting up on it. In the 78th minute Nicholas Gonzalez tried finding a way through from inside the box but he was denied by the keeper yet again. A minute later in the 79th minute. Bonaventura delivered a ball into Luka Jovic. The Serbian gets denied by the goalkeeper again. Time felt as if it was running out. But it only continued Fiorentina continued to put pressure. In the 80th minute Biraghi found the space to put Arthur Cabral in a dangerous position he connected on the header. Picking it out of the air somehow is denied as that was as close as it has been to a goal in this second half for the boys from Florence. Two minutes later Dodo found Jovic he rises up getting his head on the end of it but drags it wide. It felt like it was going to be the last chance they were going to get. As you can see visibly the frustration on his face of regret. In the closing minutes Jovic went for it again on the head. Trying to maneuver it into the left corner but it went a stretch to far. The referee blew its whistle. Inter Milan retain the Copa Italia despite Fiorentina's efforts. The Latauro Martinez brace settles another trophy for Inzaghi's Inter champions league final next.

Inzaghi has been under tremendous pressure this season. He has seemingly answered the bell yet again. Say what you want about him and the lack of what he is done. He has delivered Inter Milan back to back. Copa Italia. There's been a lot of conversations this season about what his future holds at the club. He is under achieved in the league season. There's no doubt about that. Last season he choked away the title. There's no doubt about that either. However, what he has done and knockout competitions has been splended. Back to back. Copa Italia triumphs. Last season against Juventus and tonight against Fiorentina. He is also taking enter back to the Champions League final for the first time since 2010. They will find them themselves a mammoth in that final. But and knockout competitions Inter Milan always has a chance. There needs to be improvements made in the league. However, he has done enough this season to warrant the respect and credit he deserves. He isn't Antonio Conte so we need to stop asking him to be. He arrived at Inter Milan when the club was dealing with financial issues. Having sold two of their best players from that season right when he arrived. He's still nearly won the league that first season. He understands the economy of the team. Inter Milan flow through Latauro Martinez This side goes as far as he takes them. A double in the final 27 goes the season and has reached the century mark on goals at Inter Milan. Fiorentina could not have started much better than they did. They played a fantastic match. They never gave up on the game and they fought until the last moment. Vincenzo Italiano is doing something special with this team. As I said This isn't the only final they will play in this season. They will have another shot at a trophy on June 7th against West Ham in Prague in the conference League final. The hope throughout this country and throughout fans of this league is keeping the trophy in Italy. Even though they go down swinging here tonight. Fiorentina hadn't been in a final since 2001. They haven't been in Europe since 2016. They have earned the right to fight for this historic trophy. It didn't come off for them on this stop but their performance was admirable. Scoring inside the first 3 minutes. Then had to deal with some absolute class from Latauro something difficult to deal with. She is a world-class player and the best striker in Italian football. Both of those goals were more or less unavoidable. They rallied back or attempted to in that second half and created so many chances that on another night could have found the back of the net and forced the issue into extra time. They will feel devastated and frustrated having not been able to win Fiorentina a trophy but there will be another chance. While Inter, Milan put together a wonderful performance that sees them collect another trophy and retain the copa Italia. But more than anything else will give them the ammo and energy for the Manchester City challenge that will await them in Istanbul. Overall a fantastic final with Inter Milan lifting the trophy once again.