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Inter Milan marked the return of Jose Mourinho to the San Siro on Tuesday by dumping their idol’s new team Roma out of the Italian Cup 2-0 and reaching the semi-finals. Mourinho coached in front of an Inter home crowd for the first time since leaving in 2010 but after beng warmly welcomed back by supporters in Milan Roma limply exited the competition thanks to a goal almost straight from kick-off by Edin Dzeko and Alexis Sanchez’s second-half piledriver.
Italian league champions Inter Milan are back on the winning track. Inter’s defeat to Milan Derby ended in a goalless draw with Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-final today. Roma won today’s match by two goals to nothing. Inter Milan took the lead in the second minute of the first half. Geko scored the goal.
Inter Milan secured the victory with a goal from Chile’s Sanchez in the second half. The other quarter-finals of the Copa Italia will take place tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
- Inter Milan supporters gave a warm welcome to the returning Jose Mourinho
- But Mourinho’s men went behind in the game as Edin Dzeko gave hosts lead
- Former Manchester United and Arsenal man Alexis Sanchez doubled lead
Jose Mourinho’s first visit back to his former club since leaving in 2010 got off to a poor start, as the Nerazzurri took the lead with just two minutes on the clock.
Edin Dzeko connected with Ivan Perisic’s cross on the volley from inside the box to get his side off to a flying start, and notch his second goal of the season against his former employers.
Simone Inzaghi’s side sealed the win midway through the second half, as Alexis Sanchez got his sixth goal of the season with a stunning 25-yard strike into the top corner, leaving Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio with no chance.
Roma were dealt an injury blow late on as Tammy Abraham was forced off with a pulled hamstring.
Inter Milan held firm to comfortably secure their place in the last-four.
It was Jose Mourinho’s first time back on the bench as an opposition manager at the home of his beloved Inter Milan since he left the Nerazzurri back in 2010. His period in charge at Inter was one of his most successful moments as a manager, as he won four titles including a Champions League crown, and back to back Scudetti.
However, despite both himself and the crowd showing their appreciation to each other pre-match, it did not go to plan, as Roma conceded after just two minutes, and struggled to get a foothold in the game. It really showed the gulf between the sides – no wonder Roma find themselves 14 points behind Inter in Serie A.
However, they did grow into the game in the second half, with Nicolo Zaniolo’s shot cleared off the line by Milan Skriniar in what was one of their best chances.
One of the deciding factors that brought Mourinho to the club in the first place was his pedigree to win trophies, but Giallorossi fans will have to continue to wait for silverware. Their 14-year drought goes on.
The Croatian put in yet another accomplished display on the left-hand side, which was capped off by a superb assist for Inter’s opening goal, as his cross was met on the volley by Dzeko to give the Nerazzurri the dream start in this quarter-final Coppa Italia tie.
He barely put a foot wrong all evening, and proved to be a threat on a number of occasions. In addition to his assist, the 33-year-old made four crosses, three key passes and had a pass completion rate of 88%.
PLAYER RATINGS
Inter Milan: Handanovic 6, Bastoni 6, D’Ambrosio 7, Skriniar 7, Vidal 6, Perisic 7, Brozovic 6, Darmian 7, Barella 7, Sanchez 7, Dzeko 7. Subs: De Vrij 6, Martinez 6, Calhanoglu 6, Dumfries 6, Vecino 6.
AS Roma: Rui Patricio 6, Smalling 6, Mancini 6, Ibanez 6, Mkhitaryan 6, Veretout 6, Vina 6, Karsdorp 6, Oliveira 6, Zaniolo 7, Abraham 6. Subs: Kumbulla 6, Cristante 6, Pellegrini 6, El Sharaawy 6, Afena-Gyan 6.
