Vlahovic early and an impregnable fortress: Juventus regains the cup

Copa win number 15: Record winners Juventus of Torino deservedly beat Atalanta Bergamo in Rome.
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The role of the favorite on paper was quickly established: Atalanta, beaten just once in their last ten competitive matches, also beat mighty Liverpool in the Europa League or more recently in the Serie A race for the fifth and final Champions League spot that ousted Roma (2- 1) He reached the cup final with great self-confidence.

However, it was Juventus, the record cup holders, who left their mark on this final, which was obligatory at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. In other words, a Torino team that had for months been known for its solid, result-oriented defensive football.

Vlahovic with the golden start

The Old Lady were very intense, ran agile, and almost without exception kept the Bergamaschi attack at bay with players like De Ketelaer, Koopmeinerz and Luckmann. Only the latter, a former Leipziger player, was at least able to keep up with his pace.

But the Bianconeri made their first strike of the evening – and it was immediately successful: against a Bergamo defense that had moved slightly wide, Cambiasso played a brilliant through ball from midway through the half. After that, Vlahovic got through, was not offside, used a lot of physical effort to beat his opponent Henn and calmly finished the match in front of goalkeeper Karnecicki to make it 1-0 (4th minute).

After an unsuccessful attempt from Pasalic – and Juventus goalkeeper Perin was present (13th position) – Rabiot saved the ball after a through ball from Chiesa. But here too there was a goalkeeper standing in the way, Karneski. Meanwhile, Cambiasso wasted his goal (39th) before Bergamasco had their best chance before half-time. Pasalic was able to shoot freely, but Gatti blocked it (44).

Juve is at the top again

Led Juventus to win the cup: Dusan Vlahovic.
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In the second section, the picture was similar: except for the crowded Lookman, who narrowly missed to make it 1-1 with a deflected shot (51st), and then became desperate in the final stage after hitting the post (80th). There were no solutions against Torino's defence. Defensive head monster Bremer, who defended almost everything with teammates Gatti and Danilo, was completely outclassed.

But it remained interesting for a long time because the Bianconeri's own attack did not make it 2-0: Vlahovic did not get a penalty after a push from Henn (55'), and he was also fouled by De Roon shortly before scoring his second. Goal (64) And when he actually managed to score a brace with a header from Cambiasso's cross, he was caught by a VAR offside decision from a delighted Ross. Substitute Meriti was also unlucky when he hit the crossbar from a tight angle (84). But it was enough.

Juventus, who had to use the nine minutes of stoppage time without angry coach Massimiliano Allegri (red for insulting the referee), claimed their 15th Coppa Italia win with this deserved 1-0 win in the final in Rome. . A rivalry that some Atalanta supporters are slowly vilifying. Because the Bergamaschi team, which won only one title in the history of its club (the Cup at the end of the 1962/63 season), lost in the final for the third time since 2019 (0-2 against Lazio, 1-2 against Juventus and 1-2 against Juventus). Now close again to the Torino team).

Incidentally, this was Allegri's fifth Copa win, an Italian record ahead of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Roberto Mancini with four goals each.