Inter outlast Pordenone
milan — Inter Milan scraped into the Italian Cup quarterfinals after the Serie A leader was taken to penalties by third-division Pordenone on Tuesday.
Pordenone goalkeeper Simone Perilli pulled off several saves in regulation time to keep the game scoreless, and he almost proved to be the hero during the shootout, stopping two penalties.
But Inter prevailed 5-4, with Yuto Nagatomo tucking away the final spot kick.
“The lads were brilliant, they were brilliant and you couldn’t ask for more, they took Inter to penalties, for us it’s like winning the Italian Cup,” Pordenone coach Leonardo
The lads were brilliant and you couldn’t ask for more, they took Inter to penalties
Leonardo Colucci
Colucci said. “When you get to penalties it’s a lottery, anyone can make a mistake, I appreciated all those who had the courage to take one. (Inter Coach Luciano) Spalletti told me that we deserved to go through, I thank him because he is a loyal, honest and sincere person.”
Both sides hit the woodwork during the 120 minutes.
Inter coach Luciano Spalletti rang the changes, and only Milan Skriniar and Matias Vecino remained in the starting 11 from Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Juventus.
However, he was forced by desperation to bring on Marcelo Brozovic at halftime as well as star forwards Ivan Perisic and Mauro Icardi later. Pordenone went closest to taking the lead during regulation as Inter goalkeeper Daniele Padelli did well to turn Simone Magnaghi’s shot onto the right post.
Inter should have broken the deadlock shortly before halftime but teenager Yann Karamoh fired over with only the goalkeeper to beat after great work from Joao Cancelo. —