Inter Milan advanced to the Coppa Italia semifinals Tuesday, defeating Torino 2-0 despite a spirited effort from the underdogs and a second-half push that saw torino pull one goal back. The Serie A leaders, prioritizing a domestic double this season, overcame an early challenge and a rested lineup which saw Piotr Zieliński on the bench.While Inter ultimately secured the victory, torino’s resilience proved they were a formidable opponent in this quarterfinal clash.
Inter Milan, heavily favored to advance, faced a stiff challenge in their Coppa Italia quarterfinal clash. The Serie A leaders couldn’t shake off the pressure of expectation as they battled Torino for a spot in the semifinals. A stumble from the Nerazzurri would undoubtedly be a major upset in the competition.
Torino currently sits 13th in the Serie A table, making them significant underdogs. The teams previously met in August, with Inter securing a dominant 5-0 victory.
Inter without Piotr Zieliński. A high-scoring affair wasn’t on the cards as Torino put up a fight
Inter Milan started the match without Piotr Zieliński in the lineup, despite his impressive performance against Cremonese in their previous outing. Manager Cristian Chivu opted to give the Polish international a rest.
Torino proved resilient in the opening half-hour, frustrating Inter’s attacking efforts. However, the deadlock was broken in the 35th minute when Ange-Yoan Bonny rose highest to head home a cross, putting Inter ahead 1-0.
Inter came out firing after halftime, looking to extend their lead. Just two minutes into the second half, Andy Diouf unleashed a powerful, first-time shot that found the back of the net, making it 2-0.
The two-goal cushion didn’t last long, as Sandro Kulenović, who previously played for Legia Warsaw in the 2018/19 season, pulled one back for Torino in the 73rd minute with a well-placed header, reigniting the tie.
Torino thought they had leveled the score in the 73rd minute through Matteo Prati, but the goal was correctly disallowed for offside.
Inter held on to secure the victory, but Torino certainly made life difficult for the league leaders. The road ahead won’t get any easier, potentially with Zieliński back in the starting eleven for future matches. Despite the challenge, bookmakers still heavily favor Inter to complete a domestic double this season.
