Dumfries’ Double Fires Inter into Supercoppa Italiana Final
Denzel Dumfries emerged as the hero for Inter Milan, scoring twice in the second half to secure a 2-0 victory over Atalanta in Riyadh on Thursday. The win propels the Serie A champions into the Supercoppa Italiana final, where they will aim to clinch the trophy for the fourth consecutive time.
Inter will face the winner of the Juventus and AC Milan clash for the coveted title. Manager Simone Inzaghi fielded his strongest lineup, demonstrating his intent to retain the cup. In contrast, Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini, already missing key players due to injury, made the surprising decision to leave some regular starters on the bench.
The first half saw a stalemate, largely thanks to Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, who made a series of impressive saves. He denied Lautaro Martínez with a reflex stop from close range and followed up with a double save, first parrying Martínez’s powerful shot and then thwarting Federico Dimarco’s attempt on the rebound.
Atalanta had a rare opportunity when a misdirected header from Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni landed kindly for Giorgio Scalvini, whose header was comfortably saved by Inter’s keeper André Onana.
After the break, Inter ramped up the pressure. The breakthrough came when Dumfries capitalized on a loose ball in the six-yard box, controlling it with his head before executing a clever overhead kick to beat Sportiello.
In response, Gasperini introduced attacking reinforcements to bolster Atalanta’s offense. However, Inter struck again on the counterattack. Dimarco’s cross-field pass found Dumfries, who unleashed a thunderous first-time shot that struck the crossbar before crossing the line, leaving the keeper with no chance.
“We know how tough Atalanta can be; they give you very little space,” Bastoni told reporters after the match. “In moments like these, individual brilliance makes the difference, and today Denzel provided that.”
Late in the game, Martínez had an opportunity to extend the lead when played through by Dimarco, but once again, Atalanta’s keeper stood firm to deny the Argentine striker.
Inter’s victory sets up an exciting final as they continue their quest for silverware this season.
Reference(s):
Dumfries' double fires Inter to Super Cup final with win over Atalanta
cgtn.com
