INTER CARNIVAL BEGINS
Captain Lautaro Martinez strikes late as Nerazzurri beat 10-man Napoli to win Italian Super Cup
Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez struck a last-gasp goal to snatch a dramatic 1-0 win over 10-man Napoli as they claimed their third successive Italian Super Cup title on Monday.
The victory also handed Inter an eighth Supercoppa title, trailing only one behind Juventus' record haul of nine.
The match at Al Awwal Park was the first final of the fourteam Super Cup format, which included the winners and runners-up of the Italian league and cup.
"We must congratulate Napoli, they played a great game," Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, who became the Supercoppa's record winning coach with five titles, told Mediaset.
"We played a semi-final three days ago and then a final today, it was something new for everyone. We kept our focus high."
Lautaro struck in the first minute of the stoppage time, just as it appeared as if Napoli would take the match to penalties despite having played for half an hour with 10 men after Giovanni Simeone was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of five minutes.
Lautaro tore off his jersey and raced the entire length of the field to celebrate in front of the Inter fans in Riyadh, followed by his joyous teammates.
It was Inter’s third straight Italian Super Cup victory although the first in its revamped format.
The final ended up being between the two winners as Serie A champions Napoli beat Fiorentina in their semifinal, while Italian Cup winners Inter defeated Lazio.
Inter’s attention will now turn to more substantial matters, having fallen a point behind new Serie A leader Juventus, who have played a match more because of the Nerazzurri’s time in Saudi Arabia.
Inter are also through to the Champions League last 16, where it will face Atlético Madrid. It finished runner-up in that competition last year.
Lautaro, who won the World
Cup with Argentina in 2022, is also chasing the top goalscorer award in Serie A and leads with 18 goals in as many appearances.
"I am very proud and happy. We were eliminated from the Italian Cup, so we wanted to win the Super Cup," said Martinez, who has 21 goals in 27 games in all competitions this season.
"It was tough, we had a day’s less rest, we were not sharp, but I am proud of this team. The goal was a great emotion, a unique moment."
For Napoli it was the most realistic chance of winning a trophy. Out of the Italian Cup and trailing Juventus by 21 points in the league, Napoli play Barcelona in the Champions League.
It could also have been one of the last matches for coach Walter Mazzarri, with reports Napoli are set to meet with José Mourinho this week after the Portuguese coach was fired by Roma.
Inter had the better of the chances in the first half and Lautaro had a goal ruled out for offside. Napoli improved after the break but the match changed on the hour mark when Simeone was sent off after he received a second yellow card for a foul on Francesco Acerbi — incensing Mazzarri, who yelled “shame” from the sidelines.
It was one of those nights for Marcus Thuram as the Inter forward had several golden opportunities but couldn’t find the target.
The Inter siege finally paid off when Alexis Sánchez sent Benjamin Pavard down the right and the defender cut it back for Lautaro to stroke a low shot into the back of the net.
An incensed Mazzarri immediately walked straight down the tunnel and also appeared to be absent from the trophy ceremony.
We must congratulate Napoli, they played a great game. We played a semi-final three days ago and then a final today, it was something new for everyone. We kept our focus high. SIMONE INZAGHI