An ill-tempered 2-0 win sends Inter into the Coppa Italia Final, but Marco Materazzi and Roberto Mancini saw red, while Julio Cruz punched a Lazio player.
The tie was in the balance after the 0-0 draw at San Siro, but despite President Massimo Moratti’s criticism of their “lack of courage” in Sunday’s derby defeat, Roberto Mancini fielded a 4-5-1 system. He rotated the squad, although for Lazio this was a very important fixture, as merely qualifying for the Final could be enough to send them into the UEFA Cup.
The difference in attitudes was immediately apparent, as in the opening 30 seconds Tommaso Rocchi charged towards goal and was brought down for a free kick just outside the box. From the set-piece, Cristian Ledesma cracked the ball against the near post with Francesco Toldo rooted to the spot!
Inter seemed rather stunned and camped out in their own half, but it was one-way traffic and a defensive error from Francesco Bolzoni handed the ball to Rocchi outside the D, which clipped the upright for a second time. The visitors only threatened from set plays, as on 18 minutes Cristian Chivu failed to tap in from seven yards.
A Luis Jimenez diving header missed the Cesar cross by inches and Marco Ballotta comfortably smothered a Pele snapshot, but Goran Pandev had an even clearer chance when he hesitated to shake off Chivu and drilled past the near post.
Pandev’s rocket was charged down, but Jimenez went very close in a one-two with David Suazo, spinning round Emilson Cribari, but the angled left-foot drive shaved the upright.
Ledesma flashed another free kick just wide and straight after the restart there was a triple Lazio opportunity. Lorenzo De Silvestri, Rocchi and Valon Behrami had shots charged down in quick succession before the ball was scrambled out for a corner.
The pressure continued and Toldo flapped away a looping Rocchi header, but it was Inter who opened the scoring against the run of play. Suazo got to the by-line on the counter and pulled back for Pele to smash a right-foot missile into the very top near corner. It was a marvellous first-time finish and an away goal for the Nerazzurri.
Mancio introduced Julio Cruz to move Jimenez back into Bolzoni’s wide position, but the Inter Coach was sent off for sarcastically applauding the referee. He continued insulting the official even on his way off the touchline and made the hand gesture suggesting Saccani was ‘crazy.’
Toldo was at full stretch for a splendid save on Pandev’s daisy-cutter from the D, while an Ousmane Dabo screamer from a touched-on free kick swerved inches past the post.
The match got extremely tense and moments after stepping on to the field Marco Materazzi sparked an argument with Pandev. From that incident an Aleksandar Kolarov free kick whistled wide, but Chivu also hurt his shoulder in an awkward fall and made way for Douglas Maicon.
Sebastiano Siviglia’s last-ditch tackle prevented Suazo making it 2-0, but the tension was at boiling point and a brawl broke out off the ball in the penalty area. Replays suggest Cruz punched Kolarov on the penalty spot, but the referee and assistant did not witness it, so he only booked both players. Kolarov was bleeding and video evidence could cost Cruz dearly.
The situation spiralled out of control and Materazzi was shown a straight red card for a vicious tackle on Pandev, as he got the ball, then hacked at the ankle with his trailing foot right in front of the linesman.
Despite going down to 10 men, Inter made it 2-0 on the counter with Cruz, who arguably should have been sent off earlier. Ballotta flapped a Pele cross on to a teammates’ chest and it was child’s play for Cruz to tap in from six yards.
The tension spread to the stands, where Lazio patron Claudio Lotito had to leave as groups of Biancocelesti fans hurled abuse. Inter reach the Coppa Italia Final, where they will face either Roma or Catania.
Lazio 0-2 Inter (0-2 on agg)
Scorers: Pele 51 (I), Cruz 85 (I)
Lazio: Ballotta; Silvestri (Tare 87), Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri (Kolarov 66); Dabo (Mutarelli 80), Ledesma, Behrami; Pandev, Bianchi, Rocchi
Inter: Toldo; Burdisso (Materazzi 68), Rivas, Chivu (Maicon 77), Maxwell; Zanetti, Bolzoni (Cruz 59), Pelè, Cesar; Jimenez; Suazo
Ref: Saccani
Sent off: Materazzi 83 (I)
