Lautaro Martinez scored a first-half brace as he led Inter to a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final. For the first 15 minutes, the Nerazzurri were not at the races, as a defensive miscue from Alessandro Bastoni allowed an early goal against. However, the favorites quickly righted the ship, ultimately lifting the trophy after a hard-fought performance.
Samir Handanovic – 8
In the first half, Fiorentina really struggled with its shooting accuracy, putting just one shot on target. However, in the late second half, the Viola ramped up its intensity, forcing Handanovic to make a few key saves.
Alessandro Bastoni – 5
Just two minutes into the match, Bastoni lost his head and allowed Nico Gonzalez a free run at the back post. The centre-back, attempting to double up on Arthur Cabral, left the space wide open, making an massive error.
Francesco Acerbi – 8
From the backline, Acerbi’s form continues to strengthen. He completely nullified Cabral while playing a relatively error-free match.
Matteo Darmian – 7
Despite being on the shorter side, Darmian impressed in the air alongside his taller cohorts.
Federico Dimarco – 6.5
Across from Denzel Dumfries, Dimarco put in a solid shift, working hard and creating multiple chances on the left wing.
Denzel Dumfries – 7
Early on, Dumfries represented the majority of Inter’s creativity. The wing-back was at his best in the channel, beating players on the dribble and whipping in accurate crosses from the byline.
Marcelo Brozovic – 5.5
For much of the match, Inter struggled to defend between the lines, a zone that is primarily Brozovic’s responsibility. In the first half, La Viola created several chances in front of Inter’s backline, as the defensive midfielder struggled to stay in position.
Hakan Calhanoglu – 5.5
The Turk had a relatively disappointing match, as his passing was not up to its usual standard.
Nicolo Barella – 8
Barella was in fine form as he led the way in the midfield. While others struggled to advance the ball against Sofyan Amrabat and Nikola Milenkovic, the Italian created several chances and picked up an assist on the go-ahead goal.
Edin Dzeko – 5.5
For Dzeko, it was really not a great showing. The striker created relatively few chances, and he wasted a one-on-one chance against Fiorentina’s goalkeeper that should have leveled the score.
Lautaro Martinez – 9
It was a day to remember for the Argentine. Just when it seemed that Fiorentina had the upper hand, Lautaro struck back, scoring two brilliant goals in quick succession to give his side a halftime lead. The striker’s creativity was unmatched, and he now has the chance to lead Inter to the double against Manchester City.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ BRACE ⚫️? Argentinian scores in 29' and 37' to put Inter up in Italian Cup Final.pic.twitter.com/UpE72IkZP8
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 24, 2023
Substitutes
Romelu Lukaku – 6
After replacing Dzeko, the Belgian increased the level of play alongside Lautaro. He nearly netted a wicked long-range attempt that would have wrapped up the match early.
Stefan De Vrij – 6
De Vrij took off the struggling Bastoni and solidified the backline for the final 30 minutes.