Dumfries, with a double, took down Atalanta and carried Inter into the Supercup final after a dominant performance from the opening whistle.
Inter once again confirmed their status as a formidable opponent for Atalanta. The Nerazzurri clinched their place in the final of the Italian Supercup (where they will face the winner of Juve-Milan) with a deserved 2-0 victory over the Bergamo side, who were unable to showcase their usual intense and spectacular football. Gasperini’s team created few chances and struggled for much of the match against the quality of Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Gasperini opted to start without Lookman or De Ketelaere, deploying Samardzic as a false nine, supported by Brescinanini and Zaniolo. This strategy took time to create danger against an Inter side that began strongly and came close to opening the scoring within three minutes through Mkhitaryan, whose shot was blocked by Zappacosta. After another chance for Lautaro that was thwarted by the sharp reflexes of Carnesecchi, La Dea began to threaten the opposing area but squandered a massive opportunity with Scalvini. The central defender, alone against Sommer, headed weakly after a mistake from Bastoni. Carnesecchi, the standout performer for his team, continued his impressive display with a double save against Lautaro and Dimarco. The Argentine was the most sought-after player by his teammates, who on several occasions opted to assist him rather than shooting directly at goal. However, Lautaro, who had scored seven goals in 22 matches prior to this encounter, was not accurate in front of goal.
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Inter Milan Triumphs Over Atalanta to Become First Finalist in Italian Supercup
At the start of the second half, Dumfries broke the deadlock. The full-back scored the first goal just five minutes into the half with a spectacular acrobatic effort following a corner flicked on by Bisseck. Additionally, in the 61st minute, he capped off a swift Nerazzurri transition with a powerful first-touch shot that hit the crossbar before bulging the net. Gasperini attempted to change the course of the match by introducing Lookman, De Ketelaere, and Ederson. The latter did find the net for 2-1 in the 72nd minute after a scramble in the area, but the goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review. That was the only scare for an Inter team that thereafter managed the scoreline without any shocks, except for a double save by Sommer from a corner in the 91st minute. Furthermore, the Nerazzurri had several chances to seal the match. The clash between the two most in-form teams in Calcio delivered a very clear verdict: the champion remains the best.
Belgium
