Alvaro Morata’s brace ended his drought and Paulo Dybala finished off 10-man Inter as Juventus won the Coppa Italia semi-final 3-0.
See how it all unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
The second leg will be at San Siro on March 3, but the Nerazzurri will have Jeison Murillo and Joao Miranda suspended.
Simone Zaza was suspended with Sami Khedira, Stefano Sturaro, Mario Lemina and Roberto Pereyra unavailable, while Inter missed Ivan Perisic.
Alvaro Morata’s brace ended his drought and Paulo Dybala finished off 10-man Inter as Juventus won the Coppa Italia semi-final 3-0.
See how it all unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
The second leg will be at San Siro on March 3, but the Nerazzurri will have Jeison Murillo and Joao Miranda suspended.
Simone Zaza was suspended with Sami Khedira, Stefano Sturaro, Mario Lemina and Roberto Pereyra unavailable, while Inter missed Ivan Perisic.
There was a big chance in the opening 90 seconds, as Morata threaded through for Kwadwo Asamoah to blast wide under pressure. Samir Handanovic had to come flying out to nod clear from Mario Mandzukic and Juve had very strong penalty appeals after 14 minutes for a Medel handball on Juan Cuadrado’s free kick.
Cuadrado’s angled drive flashed inches past the post and Stevan Jovetic nodded wide when he should’ve left it for Adem Ljajic’s volley.
Juve did eventually get a penalty, as Cuadrado completed a give-and-go with Morata before he was nudged in the back by Murillo. Inter protested the decision, but Morata confidently smashed the spot-kick into the near top corner for his first goal since October 4, ending a 20-game drought.
Juve doubled their lead when Biabiany blocked a Mandzukic shot, but the move continued and Felipe Melo’s clearance was straight to Morata, who blasted across Handanovic into the far top corner from six yards.
Neto flew to pluck a Murillo header out of the air from Ljajic’s free kick, but Inter went down to 10 men as Murillo received a second yellow card for blocking Cuadrado’s run. It means both Murillo and Miranda will be suspended for the second leg.
The Nerazzurri had penalty appeals too when Jovetic’s shot was charged down from close range, but replays show it struck Martin Caceres on the stomach.
Morata should’ve completed his hat-trick, but incredibly ballooned Pogba’s cross over from eight yards with only Handanovic to beat.
Dybala finished it off instead, hitting it first time to nutmeg Handanovic from the edge of the box when Asamoah rolled across the assist. It was La Joya’s 15th goal in 30 competitive games this season.
Juve hadn’t beaten Inter in the Coppa Italia since February 1992, earning only four draws from seven meetings.
Juventus 3-0 Inter
Scorers: Morata pen 36, 63 (J), Dybala 85 (J)
Juventus: Neto; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Cuadrado, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Evra (Alex Sandro 83); Mandzukic (Dybala 77), Morata
Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo, Nagatomo; Felipe Melo (Brozovic 64), Medel, Kondogbia; Biabiany (Icardi 77), Jovetic, Ljajic (Juan Jesus 80)
Ref: Tagliavento
Sent off: Murillo 69 (I)