Defending Serie A champions Inter Milan continued their dominance over Atalanta with a 2-0 victory in the Italian Super Cup semifinals on Thursday. Denzel Dumfries emerged as the hero for the Nerazzurri, netting both second-half goals to secure a spot in the final.
The result marks Inter’s seventh consecutive win against Atalanta, which sums up their upper hand in this fierce rivalry. Inter, who have won the Super Cup three years in a row, now aim to extend their streak in the competition.
Dumfries Shines
Dumfries opened the scoring with a stunning overhead kick from close range, leaving Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi helpless. The Dutch international struck again later, finishing a swift counterattack with a long-range effort that sealed the game for Inter.
While Inter dominated much of the first half, Carnesecchi’s impressive saves kept the scoreline level until Dumfries broke the deadlock.
Atalanta, the current Serie A leader, made a surprising choice to leave key players Ademola Lookman, Charles De Ketelaere, and Ederson on the bench at the start. The trio was introduced around the hour mark, but it was too little, too late.
Ederson appeared to pull one back for Atalanta, but his effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review, dashing their hopes of a comeback.
The loss adds to Atalanta’s frustration against Inter, following two 4-0 defeats to the Nerazzurri in Serie A last year.
Despite the win, Inter faced a setback as forward Marcus Thuram left the match at halftime with an apparent left thigh injury. Thuram’s condition will be a concern for coach Simone Inzaghi as Inter prepares for the final and the remainder of the season.
Juventus and AC Milan will clash on Friday in the second semifinal, with newly appointed Milan coach Sergio Conceicao making his debut after Paulo Fonseca’s dismissal. The winner will face Inter in the final, setting up another marquee matchup in Italian football.
In Serie A, Atalanta and Napoli currently hold a slim one-point lead over Inter, which has a game in hand. With this victory, Inter not only cements their position as favorites in the Super Cup but also sends a clear message to their league rivals.
