A second-half double from Denzel Dumfries earned Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Atalanta in Riyadh on Thursday to reach the Italian Super Cup final, where the Serie A champions will aim to win the trophy for the fourth successive time.
In Monday's final, Inter will meet the winner of Friday's second semifinal between Juventus and AC Milan.
While Inter manager Simone Inzaghi went with his strongest available 11, Atalanta's Gian Piero Gasperini, already without top scorer Mateo Retegui through injury, surprisingly left both Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere on the bench.
The opening half ended scoreless, mostly thanks to Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi, who first denied Lautaro Martínez with a reflex save from close range.
Carnesecchi then pulled off a double save, parrying away a powerful Martinez shot, then quickly getting back on his feet to stop Federico Dimarco's effort from the rebound.
Atalanta had one decent chance in the first half, thanks to a poor headed clearance attempt from Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni which left Giorgio Scalvini with a header from close range that he sent straight at keeper Yann Sommer.
After the break, Inter forced a couple of early corner kicks, and took the lead when the ball came to Dumfries in the six-yard box. With his back to goal the Dutchman controlled with a header before firing an overhead shot into the net.
Gasperini responded by sending on Lookman and De Ketelaere, along with Éderson, but it was Inter who found the second goal on the counter just when Atalanta began to look dangerous.
Dimarco's crossfield pass missed Mehdi Taremi but fell to Dumfries, who hit a scorching first-time shot that left Carnesecchi with no chance as it went in off the crossbar.
"We know how difficult it is against Atalanta, they give us few spaces," Inter's Bastoni told SportMediaset. "In these situations, individual talent must shine and today Denzel did just this."
Martinez should have put Inter out of sight when served by Dimarco and with just the keeper to beat, but again he was unable to beat Carnesecchi.
Inter were almost made to pay minutes later when Ederson found the net, but the goal was ruled out for an offside and in added time, it was Sommer's turn for some heroics, pulling off a double save from Berat Djimsiti and Lookman.
Martinez still had time for another poor miss, but Inter deservedly overcame an Atalanta side which probably paid the price for their initial team selection.
"We have a lot of players. We have had a very demanding run in the league and it was the right time to test players who have not played much from the start," Gasperini said. "I didn't snub the competition, we tried to win and found a very strong team. We made a few too many mistakes."
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
