Bologna knock Inter out from the Coppa Italia following an intense extra-time battle, ultimately resulting in a 2-1 defeat. Joshua Zirkzee played a pivotal role, providing two crucial assists, while Lautaro Martinez’s penalty miss added to Inter’s woes. This loss signifies the end of Inter’s bid for a third consecutive Coppa Italia title. Bologna are now set to advance to the quarter-finals to face Fiorentina next month.
Bologna have been a hurdle for Inter as they had previously drawn 2-2 in a Serie A encounter in October. Inter missed some key players such as Alexis Sanchez, Denzel Dumfries, Juan Cuadrado, and Stefan de Vrij. Meanwhile, Bologna missed the services of Riccardo Orsolini, Jesper Karlsson, and Adama Soumaoro.
Early in the game, Marko Arnautovic, facing his former club, had a misfire, and Federico Ravaglia made a crucial save from Davy Klaassen’s chest and volley. Bologna’s Giovanni Fabbian, a product of the Inter youth academy, nearly scored with a spectacular back-heel flick, only to see it skim the post.
Bologna knock defending champions Inter out of Coppa Italia
Despite multiple opportunities for both teams, the score remained goalless. Inter got a penalty after VAR intervention, but Bologna’s Ravaglia managed to stop Lautaro’s effort. As the game extended into extra time, Benjamin Pavard made his comeback from injury for Inter. Carlos Augusto broke the deadlock with a header from Dimarco’s corner, putting Inter in the lead. However, Bologna made a swift comeback, equalizing with a Sam Beukema volley after a corner.
In a stunning turn of events, Zirkzee once again played a decisive role, delivering a perfectly weighted through ball for Dan Ndoye, who managed to chip it over the advancing Emil Audero to complete Bologna’s comeback and secure their place in the quarter-finals. This defeat marks the end of Inter’s Coppa Italia campaign, ending their two-year reign as champions.
