Advantage Juventus after semi-final first-leg win over Inter

Date: 3rd February 2021 at 12:14am
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Juventus came from behind to record a 2-1 defeat of Inter in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday evening.

Lautaro Martinez’s early opener was overturned by a Cristiano Ronaldo brace, as the Portuguese became football’s greatest ever goalscorer by taking his tally to 763.

Inter led in just the ninth minute. A quick counterattack ended as Nicolo Barella – who had beaten Juventus almost single-handedly in Serie A – centred for Lautaro, whose driven effort went through Gianluigi Buffon to creep over the line.

But Ashley Young gifted the Bianconeri a way back. The Englishman needlessly pulled Juan Cuadrado’s arm, bringing the Colombian to ground, as Federico Bernardeschi had completely overhit a cross.

A penalty was given after VAR intervention, and Cristiano Ronaldo emphatically finished.

Another error saw Juventus get themselves in front. Samir Handanovic and Alessandro Bastoni got themselves mixed up and Cristiano took the ball of the Italian’s toe. With Handanovic far from goal, he passed in from a narrow angle.

Buffon did well to deny Matteo Darmian in the second half, and Merih Demiral had to block an Alexis Sanchez effort, but for all Inter’s possession they were unable to find a way to beat the veteran goalkeeper again.

 

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