The 2024/25 Italian Super Cup semi-finals showcased four elite Serie A teams, but only two could advance to the final.
In the opening semi-final, Inter Milan faced Atalanta at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh. Defending champions Inter secured a victory with Denzel Dumfries netting two goals in the second half. Despite numerous chances, Atalanta couldn’t get past Inter’s goalkeeper, Yann Sommer.
The second semi-final was a tighter affair, with Juventus and AC Milan going head-to-head in a closely fought match. AC Milan, entering as underdogs, emerged with a 2-1 win, thanks to an own goal by Federico Gatti in the 75th minute.
The championship match is scheduled for Monday, where rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan will vie for the coveted trophy.
Own Goal by Gatti Secures AC Milan’s 2-1 Triumph
The match began with Juventus appearing dominant, earning an early goal in the 21st minute. Turkish striker Kenan Yıldız capitalized on a precise from Samuel Mbangula, catching Milan’s defense off guard. Yıldız finished superbly, sending the ball into the top of the net past Milan’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, at the near post.
Although AC Milan had a few challenging opportunities, they couldn’t find their rhythm in the first half. Things nearly worsened early in the second half when Yıldız narrowly missed another chance, with the ball going wide. Shortly after, he set up a across the box, but Dusan Vlahovic deflected the ball away.
Milan’s best chance to equalize came from a corner kick, with the ball reaching Theo Hernández, who unfortunately sent it over the bar.
Milan finally got on the scoreboard when Nicolò Savona’s foul on Hernández resulted in a penalty kick in the 71st minute. Christian Pulisic flawlessly executed it, striking the ball right down the center to outplay Michele Di Gregorio.
Just four minutes afterward, Milan seized the lead thanks to an own goal. Yunus Musah delivered a cross that deflected off Juventus defender Federico Gatti and zipped past Di Gregorio, who had moved away from the net.
With only 15 minutes left in regular time, Juventus launched an offensive and had a final chance during added time. Gatti had an opportunity to equalize from close distance, but his volley narrowly missed the target. The semi-final concluded at 2-1, in what seemed like Juventus’ game to lose from the start.
Dumfries Nets Twice As Inter Defeat Atalanta 2-0
Reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan secured a seventh consecutive victory against current leaders Atalanta on Thursday in the Italian Super Cup semi-finals. The 2-0 win was driven by Dumfries, who netted two goals in the second half, guiding his team to triumph.
The Dutch winger broke the deadlock in the 49th minute with his back to the goal, initially controlling the ball with his head before unleashing a half-turn shot into the net. He made it 2-0 in the 61st minute with a stunning strike from just outside the box, despite a valiant dive by goalkeeper Mario Carnesecchi.
Carnesecchi managed to deny a subsequent attempt from Lautaro Martinez, keeping the deficit at two. Ederson nearly scored for Atalanta late in the game, but the goal was ruled offside following an extensive VAR review. Ultimately, the match ended 2-0, with shots on goal and possession stats being quite even.
A significant setback for Inter during the match was Marcus Thuram’s departure. He appeared to suffer from a left thigh problem, and the team hasn’t updated his status for the Final yet. Leading the Serie A scoring charts, Thuram has netted 12 goals this season.