Denzel Dumfries scored twice in 13 minutes of the second half as Inter Milan ended Atalanta's 16-match unbeaten run against Italian rivals to reach the 2024 Italian Super Cup final at Al Awal Park in Riyadh.
After Dumfries's acrobatic close-range strike opened the scoring in the 49th minute at Al Nasr by six-time Ballon d'Or player Cristiano Ronaldo, the wide man added a stunning second goal with a first-time shot off the crossbar. From the edge of the penalty area.
What a sweet hit! 💥
Denzel Dumfries scores a brace for Inter! 🔵⚫ pic.twitter.com/yq4sdeR1S2
– Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 2, 2025
Atalanta believed that it had succeeded in reducing the gap through Ederson 18 minutes before the end, but the video assistant referee canceled the goal due to what appeared to be an offside decision against Charles De Kittilari.
Inter will face Juventus or Milan, who meet in the second semi-final at the same stadium on Friday (7 p.m. GMT), in the final on Monday at the Kingdom Arena in the Saudi capital.
Denzel Dumfries performs an acrobatic shot from close range! 🙌
Inter leads Atalanta in the Super Cup semi-finals 🔵⚫ pic.twitter.com/lv3EgirJtY
– Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 2, 2025
Inter vs Atalanta
He led Atalanta, who are on a 12-game winning streak at home, to the top of Serie A and the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia before drawing late to Lazio in the league on Saturday. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini may have had reason to fear their career would end at the wrong time
La Dea have not beaten Inter in over six years and have lost the previous six meetings between the two teams, making it perhaps unsurprising that the Italian champions had the best chances during the first half.
✈️🇳🇱🖤💙#ForzaInter #Inter Atalanta pic.twitter.com/1b8OyOrG9p
– Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) January 2, 2025
Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi rescued them with two great early saves from Lautaro Martinez, one of which would have led to a Federico DiMarco goal from the rebound had Carnesecchi not made another save.
Inter's first goal came after a corner kick was questionably judged to have been deflected backwards, and there was less doubt about the second when Dumfries curled in a searing shot at the height of a counter-attack.
Distinctive clean window, Lian 🤩🧤#ForzaInter #Inter Atalanta pic.twitter.com/bK5NktxrA1
– Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 2, 2025
Carnesecchi again frustrated Martinez in a one-on-one affair and the score was 2-0, although Atalanta came tantalizingly close to a response with a minute to go when Yann Sommer blocked headers from Berat Djemseti and Ademola Lookman in quick succession.
Both players looked set to score from the second rebound but conspired to send the ball over the bar, ending Atalanta's slim hopes of a comeback during extra time.
Best player 🏅🖤💙#ForzaInter #Inter Atalanta 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 Super Cup and will enter the final with five consecutive clean sheets behind them.
They are yet to win against any of their potential rivals in the final this season, losing 2-1 to AC Milan in September and drawing 4-4 with Juventus in October.
