Denzel Dumfries scored twice in 13 second-half minutes as Inter Milan ended Atalanta’s 16-match unbeaten run against Italian opponents to reach the 2024 Supercoppa Italiana final at Al-Awwal Park from Riyadh.
After Dumfries’ acrobatic close-range volley opened the scoring in the 49th minute at six-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo’s home side Al-Nassr, the wide player added a spectacular second by curling a first strike on the crossbar. from the edge of the penalty area.
What a sweet strike! 💥
Denzel Dumfries doubles for Inter! 🔵⚫ pic.twitter.com/yq4sdeR1S2
– Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 2, 2025
Atalanta thought they had pulled the score back 18 minutes from time from Ederson, only for a lengthy check from the video assistant referee to disallow the goal for what appeared to be an offside decision against Charles De Ketelaere.
Inter will face Juventus or Milan, who will meet in the second semi-final in the same stadium on Friday (7 p.m. GMT), in the final on Monday at the Kingdom Arena in the Saudi capital.
Denzel Dumfries delivers with an acrobatic effort from close range! 🙌
Inter take advantage against Atalanta in Supercoppa semi-final 🔵⚫ pic.twitter.com/lv3EgirJtY
– Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 2, 2025
Inter vs Atalanta
A remarkable streak of 12 consecutive domestic victories had propelled Atalanta to the top of Serie A and the Coppa Italia quarter-finals before securing a late draw against Lazio in the league on Saturday. and manager Gian Piero Gasperini might have had reason to fear that their run had ended at the wrong time when
La Dea had not beaten Inter in over six years and had lost all six previous meetings between the teams, perhaps unsurprising when the reigning Italian champions had the best of chances in the first half.
✈️🇳🇱🖤💙#ForzaInter #InterAtalanta pic.twitter.com/1b8OyOrG9p
-Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) January 2, 2025
Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi saved them with two splendid early saves from Lautaro Martinez, one of which would have resulted in a Federico Dimarco goal on the rebound had Carnesecchi not produced another save.
Inter’s first goal came after a corner was dubiously ruled to have been deflected behind, and there were fewer doubts about their second when Dumfries drilled home a scorching strike at the high point of a counter -attack.
A special clean sheet for Yann 🤩🧤#ForzaInter #InterAtalanta pic.twitter.com/bK5NktxrA1
—Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 2, 2025
Carnesecchi again thwarted Martinez in a one-on-one with the score at 2-0, although Atalanta came close to responding with a minute remaining when Yann Sommer parried Berat Djimsiti’s headers and Ademola Lookman in quick succession.
Both players looked set to score from the second bounce, but conspired to send the ball over the crossbar and end Atalanta’s slim hopes of a comeback in added time.
MVP 🏅🖤💙#ForzaInter #InterAtalanta pic.twitter.com/nfpt29GRil
—Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 2, 2025
Super Cup Final
Eight-time champions Inter have won the last three editions of the Supercoppa and will enter the final with five consecutive clean sheets behind them.
They have yet to beat any of their potential opponents in the final this season, losing 2-1 to Milan in September and drawing 4-4 against Juve in October.
