If there’s one team that seems to have figured out the formula for success this season, it’s Inter Milan. With a solid 2-0 victory over Lazio, Simone Inzaghi’s squad secured their spot in the Coppa Italia semifinals, proving once again that they’re ready to take on any challenge.
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Inter’s mature and composed performance
Inter did not need to shine throughout, but they dominated the match with brains and precision. Lazio, no slouch, tried to cause trouble in the first half, but they were met with a well-drilled defense and an inspired Martinez between the posts. The turning point came with a stunning goal by Marko Arnautovic, one of those moments that create games and fire up the fans.
The Austrian hit a stunning volley outside the box, leaving the goalkeeper of the opposing team helpless. A goal that topped a serene Inter performance, showing how many attacking options this team has. It's not Lautaro Martínez only or Thuram, there are others who can win matches. And in football, squad depth is what matters.
In the second half, Çalhanoglu added icing on the cake by scoring on a penalty awarded after Joaquín Correa's foul. It was fair, with the Turkish midfielder one of the pillars of the team and fully deserving all the limelight he is now getting.
The weight of the victory and subsequent challenges
If anything has been made clear from this win over Lazio, it is that Inter Milan is in the midst of plain confidence. Inzaghi knows that he possesses a strong and competitive squad, and even though the nuisance of injuries in the fullback area, the side has managed to maintain a top performance level.
"I think we played great against a great team. We were struggling a little bit in the first half because we were not together, but we did well to score the goal with Arna's amazing goal," Inzaghi said after the match.
His words accurately summarize the match. Inter didn't start as they were best, but they made do, took their chances, and snatched the win without a fight. A winning result that was not so fascinating, but with loads of confidence and stability emanating from it.
The defense also deserves a special mention. Another shutout, another game where the players defended the score and shut down the opposition's attacks. This kind of consistency is what separates title-winning teams from teams that only have good seasons.
Martinez makes his chance count and proves his worth
If there was anyone who took full advantage of this game, it was Martinez. The goalkeeper, who has not had much work this season due to Yann Sommer's good form, showed that he can be trusted when he is needed.
He is a fantastic goalkeeper, he had an amazing season last season with Genoa. Sommer, who is having an unbelievable season, is ahead of him. We were aware that he would play the Coppa Italia. I wasn't worried, I knew he would perform, he's a committed boy, he settled down fine, and he works very hard," explained Inzaghi.
The number one goalkeeper role remains Sommer's, but Martinez took the most of his chance, showing that he's prepared whenever the need arises. And in a season that will be long and full of competitions, having a good second-string goalkeeper can become crucial.
Inter vs. Milan: A battle with history
Inter have secured themselves a semifinal spot and already know their next opponent, no less than AC Milan. A match that already has so much at stake.
But Simone Inzaghi isn't losing focus on what comes before that: "AC Milan? We'll speak of them in April, we have a lot of games ahead of that. We lack a little at fullback, Carlos and Zalewski are out, and Darmian got injured tonight, but we need to take it match by match. We know what awaits us."