Coppa Italia, Inter beats Lazio 2-0 and goes to the semi-final: it will be a derby with Milan

Milan, February 25, 2025 - It will be another derby. Inter advance to the next round of the Coppa Italia and qualify for the semifinal against Milan after a two-goal victory over Baroni's Lazio . A magical shot from outside the box by Marko Arnautovic in the first half and a penalty by Hakan Calhanoglu in the second half decided the match at the Meazza, but the Biancocelesti were ready, especially in the first half where Martinez stood as a bulwark. For Inzaghi, it was yet another Coppa Italia semifinal and in April, yet another Milan derby after the league and Super Cup. For now, the Nerazzurri are the only ones in the running on three fronts. At home, the conditions of Darmian and Frattesi , who left the pitch with muscle problems, will also need to be assessed. The round of the national cup ends on Wednesday with the last quarter-final between Juventus and Empoli.

Arna is gorgeous from the outside

Inzaghi gives Lautaro a break and fields an almost new duo of Arnautovic and Taremi up front, while Bisseck returns to defence. Baroni with Dia and Tchaouna as attacking terminals and Isaksen-Zaccagni in support. The game immediately unfolds openly on both sides, Inter breaks through on the right for the first time with Frattesi but Zielinski is anticipated at the most beautiful moment, Lazio shows up in the area with Dia but his left-footed shot is deflected wide. The pace and intensity are interesting and spaces often open up on negative transitions, with good chances of creating potential scoring opportunities. One is created by Isaksen , who runs in a serpentine fashion and unleashes a left-footed diagonal shot with a sensational low intervention by Martinez to deflect it into a corner. The first blow for Inter, due to the general winter, and under the rain of San Siro, comes in the 22nd minute when Darmian complains of a muscle problem and forces Inzaghi to throw the owner Dumfries into the fray. For the rest, the match remains enjoyable thanks to the good attitude of the two teams, albeit with some inaccuracies. Isaksen is among the most active and in the 28th minute there is a second serpentine, this time the right is weak and central and Martinez has an easy life. The left-footed winger is among the best on the pitch, if not the best overall in the first half hour, and in the 34th minute he tests the goalkeeper again with a left-footed shot from outside. For Inter he seems uncatchable when he starts with the ball at his feet. On the following corner a melee breaks out in the center of the area that Guendouzi tries to resolve with a sure shot, but the shot is blocked in front of the goal. Lazio is better in this phase. Inter needs a call, it arrives in the 39th minute. Following a corner from the left, the ball rains down on the edge of the area where Marko Arnautovic emerges and places a prodigious left-footed volley that lands unstoppably behind Mandas: 1-0 and San Siro roars. The Biancocelesti try to react and throw themselves forward, but they find themselves on the counterattack and at the end of the first half Zielinski opens the transition that Frattesi finishes for Asllani 's right-footed shot: ball wide.

Calhanoglu on penalty

Lazio have to make the game to recover the advantage and so Inter approach the second half also being able to rely on counterattacks, which can be effective with the speed of Dumfries and Dimarco. Inzaghi, then, has to manage Asllani who is booked and Calhanoglu is the first to get up from the bench for the warm-up. Dangerous guests in the 53rd minute. The combination between Tchaouna and Dia frees Isaksen , who flies once again towards Martinez , very good at deflecting, then on the rebound Dumfries jumps higher than everyone else and avoids the equaliser. Inter has a jolt shortly after with Bisseck , who breaks forward and opens up the Lazio defence, then passes to Taremi but Mandas is there to read the attacker's intentions and closes the space in front of the goal. Baroni changes in the 60th minute, bringing in Noslin, Pedro and Tavares to try to force the game further, Inzaghi responds immediately with Correa, Bastoni and Calhanoglu . It is an unseen Inter, without a left midfielder and with Bastoni wide, more in the role of full-back covering than a fifth push. In fact, the ball is Lazio's who try to get the equaliser by holding the reins of the game, while the home team waits behind hoping for a counterattack. The energies, on the other hand, are what they are and this weekend there is the big match for the Scudetto with Napoli. We get to the last quarter of the match with the situation still open, but with a slower pace than before and an Inter that is decidedly more tired in building from the back. Inzaghi wants to win it, but without taking particular risks in the areas near the goal and tries to focus on the essentials even by kicking long under the pressure of Lazio. The chances are decreasing and Lazio also seem to be losing some of their offensive production, allowing the Nerazzurri to manage the situation. In the 75th minute Correa gets into the area and when it's time to shoot Gigot arrives from behind: for Fabbri it's a penalty. The VAR confirms and Calhanoglu converts from the spot: 2-0. It's the goal that closes the qualification discussion and sends Inter to the semi-finals where Conceicao's Milan awaits for yet another derby of the season. The only problem for Inzaghi is a pain in the thigh felt by Frattesi , it's Barella's turn, while the risk is taken by Dumfries who knocks down Tavares by a few centimetres outside the penalty area, sending shivers down the Meazza. Nothing else happens in the four minutes of added time: Inter goes through and joins the semi-finalists. On Wednesday it will be Juventus ' turn to host Empoli to close out the quarter-finals: the winner faces Bologna .