Post by Taxigirl on May 13, 2006 9:50:09 GMT
www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/may11l.html
A cracking Esteban Cambiasso volley in the 3-1 win gave Inter their second straight Coppa Italia on Francesco Totti's comeback night.
Roberto Mancini confirms his status as ‘Mr Coppa Italia,’ as between his playing and Coaching career, this is his 10th victory in this competition. The Nerazzurri also beat Roma to the trophy last season and triumph 4-2 on aggregate.
The Giallorossi knew they needed to score at least once to have any hope of taking the trophy following the 1-1 first leg draw at the Stadio Olimpico.
Both sides welcomed back stars from long-term injuries, as Francesco Totti and Juan Sebastian Veron were on the bench, but the suspended Ivan Cordoba, Simone Perrotta, Rodrigo Taddei and Philippe Mexes were out, while Daniele De Rossi wasn’t fit to start due to flu symptoms.
It was an aggressive start to the game and Inter took the lead in spectacular fashion, Javier Zanetti ran down the right flank and put in a cross for a cracking Esteban Cambiasso left-foot volley that left Alexander Doni with no chance. It was a glorious goal and one that left Roma with a mountain to climb after just six minutes.
Doni was alert when a Julio Cruz cross was deflected off Christian Panucci, almost resulting in an own goal soon after, while Dejan Stankovic had a shot charged down. Roma also fought back with a fast-paced move, but Amantino Mancini was marked close by Zanetti when Aleandro Rosi’s cross came in and his back-heel dribbled wide of the upright.
There was more bad news for the Giallorossi, as Cristian Chivu limped off in favour of Sami Kuffour after just 12 minutes. Inter asked for a penalty when Adriano’s shot was charged down by Panucci’s arm, but the two players were so close together that the referee could not consider it to be a voluntary gesture.
Adriano hesitated inside the area and allowed Olivier Dacourt to intervene, then Houssine Kharja fired wide at the back post and Giuseppe Favalli’s attempt was deflected off teammate Adriano. L’Imperatore was more effective before the break when he exchanged passes with Cambiasso, but Doni was at full stretch to block the scuffed effort.
Inter could not have gone closer to a second goal moments later, as Adriano intelligently placed a low cross for Cruz, who came sliding in for his drive to dribble inches wide of the upright. The Giallorossi were still in the game, though, and Rosi’s solo effort was over the bar following some good build-up play.
However, in first half stoppages, Inter put one hand on the Coppa Itaia trophy with a classic counter-attack. Stankovic won back the ball in midfield and threaded through for Cruz to waltz past the goalkeeper.
Leandro Cufre did well to close down Luis Figo inside the box and Mancini drilled off target from 25 metres.
There was an important moment for Italian football after 54 minutes, when Totti made his comeback after fracturing his ankle on February 19. In true Capitano style, his first touch was a chest and backheel assist, proving he has lost none of his confidence in the last three months.
Cesare Bovo cleared a Stankovic cross off the foot of Adriano from point-blank range, but the former Lazio midfielder was stretchered off with a suspected thigh strain to make way for Santiago Solari.
Totti nearly marked his return with a fine goal, as he sparked the move and drilled a right-foot angled shot inches wide of the far post.
However, Inter put the final nail in Roma’s coffin with a third goal. David Pizarro allowed Obafemi Martins to spring the offside trap and while Cruz had his path blocked, the Nigerian rifled in the loose ball from eight yards.
Roma pulled one back soon after when substitute Shabani Nonda rose for a glancing header on Totti’s free kick into the far corner, but it was too late to stage a comeback.
Doni pushed a Kily Gonzalez attempt over the bar and Solari drilled wide before the final whistle got the Inter party started.
Inter 3-1 Roma (4-2 on agg)
Scorers: Cambiasso 6 (I), Cruz 45 (I), Martins 75 (I), Nonda 80 (R)
Inter: Julio Cesar; J Zanetti, Samuel, Materazzi, Favalli; Figo (Kily Gonzalez 81), Pizarro, Cambiasso, Stankovic (Solari 58); Cruz, Adriano (Martins 66)
Roma: Doni; Panucci, Chivu (Kuffour 12), Bovo, Cufré; Kharja (Nonda 75), Dacourt; Tommasi, Rosi, Mancini; Okaka (Totti 54)
Ref: Messina
A cracking Esteban Cambiasso volley in the 3-1 win gave Inter their second straight Coppa Italia on Francesco Totti's comeback night.
Roberto Mancini confirms his status as ‘Mr Coppa Italia,’ as between his playing and Coaching career, this is his 10th victory in this competition. The Nerazzurri also beat Roma to the trophy last season and triumph 4-2 on aggregate.
The Giallorossi knew they needed to score at least once to have any hope of taking the trophy following the 1-1 first leg draw at the Stadio Olimpico.
Both sides welcomed back stars from long-term injuries, as Francesco Totti and Juan Sebastian Veron were on the bench, but the suspended Ivan Cordoba, Simone Perrotta, Rodrigo Taddei and Philippe Mexes were out, while Daniele De Rossi wasn’t fit to start due to flu symptoms.
It was an aggressive start to the game and Inter took the lead in spectacular fashion, Javier Zanetti ran down the right flank and put in a cross for a cracking Esteban Cambiasso left-foot volley that left Alexander Doni with no chance. It was a glorious goal and one that left Roma with a mountain to climb after just six minutes.
Doni was alert when a Julio Cruz cross was deflected off Christian Panucci, almost resulting in an own goal soon after, while Dejan Stankovic had a shot charged down. Roma also fought back with a fast-paced move, but Amantino Mancini was marked close by Zanetti when Aleandro Rosi’s cross came in and his back-heel dribbled wide of the upright.
There was more bad news for the Giallorossi, as Cristian Chivu limped off in favour of Sami Kuffour after just 12 minutes. Inter asked for a penalty when Adriano’s shot was charged down by Panucci’s arm, but the two players were so close together that the referee could not consider it to be a voluntary gesture.
Adriano hesitated inside the area and allowed Olivier Dacourt to intervene, then Houssine Kharja fired wide at the back post and Giuseppe Favalli’s attempt was deflected off teammate Adriano. L’Imperatore was more effective before the break when he exchanged passes with Cambiasso, but Doni was at full stretch to block the scuffed effort.
Inter could not have gone closer to a second goal moments later, as Adriano intelligently placed a low cross for Cruz, who came sliding in for his drive to dribble inches wide of the upright. The Giallorossi were still in the game, though, and Rosi’s solo effort was over the bar following some good build-up play.
However, in first half stoppages, Inter put one hand on the Coppa Itaia trophy with a classic counter-attack. Stankovic won back the ball in midfield and threaded through for Cruz to waltz past the goalkeeper.
Leandro Cufre did well to close down Luis Figo inside the box and Mancini drilled off target from 25 metres.
There was an important moment for Italian football after 54 minutes, when Totti made his comeback after fracturing his ankle on February 19. In true Capitano style, his first touch was a chest and backheel assist, proving he has lost none of his confidence in the last three months.
Cesare Bovo cleared a Stankovic cross off the foot of Adriano from point-blank range, but the former Lazio midfielder was stretchered off with a suspected thigh strain to make way for Santiago Solari.
Totti nearly marked his return with a fine goal, as he sparked the move and drilled a right-foot angled shot inches wide of the far post.
However, Inter put the final nail in Roma’s coffin with a third goal. David Pizarro allowed Obafemi Martins to spring the offside trap and while Cruz had his path blocked, the Nigerian rifled in the loose ball from eight yards.
Roma pulled one back soon after when substitute Shabani Nonda rose for a glancing header on Totti’s free kick into the far corner, but it was too late to stage a comeback.
Doni pushed a Kily Gonzalez attempt over the bar and Solari drilled wide before the final whistle got the Inter party started.
Inter 3-1 Roma (4-2 on agg)
Scorers: Cambiasso 6 (I), Cruz 45 (I), Martins 75 (I), Nonda 80 (R)
Inter: Julio Cesar; J Zanetti, Samuel, Materazzi, Favalli; Figo (Kily Gonzalez 81), Pizarro, Cambiasso, Stankovic (Solari 58); Cruz, Adriano (Martins 66)
Roma: Doni; Panucci, Chivu (Kuffour 12), Bovo, Cufré; Kharja (Nonda 75), Dacourt; Tommasi, Rosi, Mancini; Okaka (Totti 54)
Ref: Messina
