Adriano Gives Inter A Two Goal, 1st Leg Lead In Coppa Italia Final

[Woozie]

Roma played some wonderful football, but two moments of sheer magic from Adriano have given Inter a 2-0 first leg lead in the Coppa Italia Final.

This is the last chance for both sides to earn some silverware and there was another aspect to the Stadio Olimpico setting, as so many members of the Inter squad – including Coach Roberto Mancini – had played in the Rome derby with Lazio.

The Giallorossi were not pulling their punches, as within 24 seconds Francesco Totti had set up Antonio Cassano and goalkeeper Francesco Toldo was forced to save with an outstretched foot.

Inter also pushed forward when Adriano hit the back of the net with a header, but Pierluigi Collina disallowed the goal for a push on Matteo Ferrari.

Totti and Cassano again combined brilliantly moments later on the counter-attack, but this time the ex-Bari starlet’s finish thumped the base of the upright with Toldo beaten.

Giuseppe Favalli nearly scored an own goal when his flicked on header almost redirected a corner kick into the net, then Toldo got down well to block Cristian Chivu’s drive.

A spectacular Cassano overhead kick on Totti’s chested assist was captured by the Inter goalkeeper, though an offside flag also stopped the move as the two Italian internationals were on stunning form.

Sinisa Mihajlovic curled one of his trademark free kicks inches past the post and Toldo firmly held a Chivu set-piece in an extremely entertaining encounter.

However, despite all the pressure, it took a moment of sheer magic from Adriano to open the scoring in Inter’s favour. The Brazilian took Gianluca Curci by surprise when he unleashed a missile from all of 40 metres that the goalkeeper could only get a fingertip to. L’Imperatore was not set to feature in this Final, but he flew home from international duty and immediately made his mark.

Ferrari had already been booked and was fortunate to remain on the field soon after, as he clearly dragged Obafemi Martins back by his jersey, but Collina was lenient.

The Nerazzurri all but put the Coppa Italia in their trophy cabinet on the stroke of half-time, as Adriano got in front of Ferrari for a powerful header on Ze Maria’s free kick from the right.

In the second half Ferrari was again extremely lucky to avoid a second bookable offence for body-checking Martins and Roma threw on Vincenzo Montella for the trident attack. Within minutes he’d brought a save out of Toldo and Totti complained of Giuseppe Favalli’s handling offence as his cross was deflected, but it was clearly an unintentional contact.

There was further controversy moments later when Montella tapped in Mancini’s deflected shot, but the goal was disallowed for a debatable offside decision.

Roma were livelier in the closing half-hour and Cassano battled his way through defenders only to see Toldo smother his shot. Mancini was forced to limp off with an injury and made way for youth team player Greco, so he is a doubt for Wednesday’s second leg.

Roma were very unlucky in the closing stages when Cassano sprung the offside trap to flick on Perrotta’s cross and Toldo took the sting out of it with his palms. Moments later Montella again tested the goalkeeper’s reflexes, as Inter’s defence lost its focus.

It will take nothing short of a miracle for Bruno Conti to turn this result around at the San Siro on Wednesday evening, as Inter look set for their first Coppa Italia trophy since 1982.


Roma 0-2 Inter

Scorers: Adriano 30, 36 (I)

Roma: Curci; Panucci, Ferrari, Chivu, Cufre (Scurto 79); Mancini (Greco 72), Dacourt, Perrotta, Virga (Montella 57); Totti, Cassano

Inter: Toldo; J Zanetti, Materazzi, Mihajlovic, Favalli; Ze Maria, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Kily Gonzalez (van der Meyde 84); Martins (Cruz 75), Adriano

Ref: Collina

[Mac 10 †]

adriano is a better than average footballer

[acbaylove]

Adriano is no doubt the best striker in Italy at the moment, with Ibrahimovic. I've seen the game, Inter dominated it. Not that it was that a difficult thing, lol. Roma totally sucks. But still, props to them. Finally, after 12,000 years, they're gonna win something. No matter if it's a Cup nobody wanna win, here in Italy, lol, but still.. better than nothing! poor fans..

[ARYC]

Adriano is gonna be remebered as one of the best strikers ever mark my words

[Capo Di Tutti I Capi]

Adriano is the best striker in the world when he's healthy

[Woozie]

But still, props to them. Finally, after 12,000 years, they're gonna win something.

I could be wrong here but i think you are being a little harsh seeing as they won the EUFA cup in 1998...

[Mac 10 †]

But still, props to them. Finally, after 12,000 years, they're gonna win something.

I could be wrong here but i think you are being a little harsh seeing as they won the EUFA cup in 1998...

didn't they also win the UEFA cup in 1998? 

[Meho]

btw is there a site where i can see this 2 goals?

[Woozie]

btw is there a site where i can see this 2 goals?

wish i cud c them 2   

cud sum1 hook them up

[acbaylove]

But still, props to them. Finally, after 12,000 years, they're gonna win something.

I could be wrong here but i think you are being a little harsh seeing as they won the EUFA cup in 1998...

LMAO! Man they spent like a billion of euro to get the best players in the world (ex. Ronaldo, Adriano, Vieri, Baggio, shit they even signed Mr. Lippi, etc..) and what they got is a fucking UEFA Cup? You gotta be kidding me! Even Parma (which is now about to go to Serie B) reached the UEFA Cup finals this year. That cup is a joke. Juventus didnt play in UEFA Cup since 1998, lol. Only loosers consider a UEFA Cup a good result for an elite team. C'mon, Juventus got i think 3 UEFA Cup's, but we dont even consider them as real trophies. It's all about Scudetto and Champions League. P.S. Inter fired Mr. Simoni that year because that UEFA Cup wasnt enought to consider that season a positive one.

[acbaylove]

btw is there a site where i can see this 2 goals?

wish i cud c them 2   

cud sum1 hook them up

http://www.raisport.rai.it/raiSportSezioneIndex/0,5785,_78_105_10486,00.html

Click on the Il servizio sulla partita link.

[Woozie]

thnx antonio 

[...'BfCfC'...]

good goals coming from a good player