SERGEJ MILINKOVIC-SAVIC CAME off the bench to score a late header that set up Lazio’s dramatic 2-0 defeat of Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final.
Atalanta had been the better side at Lazio’s Stadio Olimpico home, hitting the woodwork either side of half-time in Wednesday’s showpiece.
But substitute Milinkovic-Savic broke the deadlock for Lazio, powering home Lucas Leiva’s corner, before Joaquin Correa wrapped it up with a second goal in the 90th minute.
Lazio’s first Coppa Italia crown since 2013 will go some way towards making up for losing two of the past four finals to Juventus.
Marten de Roon hit the post as Atalanta made a great start, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men somehow failing to force the ball home in a subsequent melee.
Simone Inzaghi had seen enough of his side’s problems containing Atalanta and sent on Stefan Radu for Bastos amid a flurry of first-half bookings in a bad-tempered opening 45 minutes.
Atalanta – in their first Coppa final since 1996 – continued to make the running with Timothy Castagne recording the game’s first shot on target, forcing a low save from Thomas Strakosha after the restart.
And they hit the woodwork again in the 76th minute, Alejandro Gomez finding a pocket of space near the byline but thudding his drive against the outside of the post.
Those fine margins proved key as Milinkovic-Savic struck within three minutes of his arrival. A left-wing corner was curled invitingly into his path and the Serbia midfielder got in front of his marker to nod home a famous goal for Lazio.
And they made sure of their triumph at the death as Correa did brilliantly to round goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini and squeeze his finish over the line.
Glory for Lazio
In recent years the Coppa Italia has been full of pain for Lazio fans, who watched their side fall short against Juve in both the 2015 and 2017 finals. However, they were finally able to celebrate this year.
For Atalanta, this was a crushing blow, especially as they were so close to opening the scoring twice. But Gasperini’s men, fourth in Serie A, could yet qualify for the Champions League.
Lazio left Milinkovic-Savic on the bench, the midfielder out of favour having long been linked with a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs. But he provided a timely reminder of his game-changing abilities with a goal of priceless importance for his current employers.
Atalanta need to bounce back first as their chase for Champions League football continues at title winners Juventus on Sunday. Lazio, meanwhile, are at home to Bologna the following day.
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Fair play to him
@Padraig Corcoran: Funny that he sat in the Virgin studios after England walloped France and on live tv he rattled off the names of the French backs and said he’d love the chance to coach them. Is that where it all came from? Hope it works out for him and France.
No disrespect to ROG, he is well worth the position, but this just goes to show how much of a shambles French Rugby has become. Looking to air drop a coach in six months out of a World Cup hoping that will solve their issues. Great for ROG however and I look forward to seeing him in the Irish set up one day.
@Dave Barry: is it better to keep your pride & faith in current coaches and lose a minimum of 3 games in the group stage?
@Damian Baker: *minimum of 2 games. I was looking at the group and I counted France to beat France…….which could happen knowing how unpredictable they are.
@Damian Baker: France beat themselves in most tight games.
@Dave Barry: six months out from the World Cup sounds like oodles of time for a defensive coach to impart a few tips. These are rugby professionals who have made the French team. He is not starting at the basics here just polishing around the edges.
If ROG can bring some of the crusaders style
Of rugby to the French they will hammer a few teams and be dangerous against some big sides
Would be a massive thing for ROG’s CV, but I think it would also be a huge risk for him.
So far he has carefully managed his coaching career. By joining a basket case French side who could do absolutely anything, and having only a short period to work with them he’ll be exposing himself to a far more uncertain role than he has previously.
If he’s trying to work his way back to this side of the world, Munster could certainly do with an attack coach and I’d say Andy Farrell would be interested in having him too.
@Oval Digest: no risk whatsoever. There will be no expectations on him being drafted in last minute before a world cup. If anything it’s ideal. If they do well he’ll reap the praise. If they do crap he didn’t have enough time to turn things around. It’s brunell that’s job is hanging in the balance
@Oval Digest: if it doesn’t work out he can go back to punditry. It’s a short term probably lucrative gig. Go for it Rog I say!
Quinnys comments make it look like a done deal.
Really hoping he replaces Farrell as defensive coach for Ireland in 2020.
Great move by France and O’Gara if it comes to pass. For France they get an outside voice who comes from a far more structured background who’ll have the players respect and won’t be afraid to speak his mind. For O’Gara he joins a talented French team that is poorly coached and under performing. From a purely reputational outlook if it goes well he’s bound to get a certain amount of credit but if they crash out then he’ll shoulder minimal blame. More importantly either way he’ll have gained some great experience and can still go back to the Crusaders in 2020 if they want him.
@Eddie Hekenui: I can’t think of anyone without googling but maybe you can – do you reckon o gara is the first non French coach France have had? I know Laporte is very much against appointing non French coaches and players.
@Jim Demps: I think I remember them having an English assistant coach back in the 00′s but I can’t for the life of me remember his name or what his role was
@Eddie Hekenui: You’re right. Dave Ellis. Completely forgot he was involved with France before. Also had forgotten he was involved with Connacht. The IRFU should have been moving mountains to have kept him involved in Ireland somewhere.
@Eddie Hekenui: Dave Ellis!
That’s the lad. Knew someone out there would have the name. But it was a different Dave Ellis involved with Connacht though Jim. That was a Kiwi but you’re spot on that he should’ve been kept in Ireland. Guy was a huge asset
Nice move for him and he can only improve and add a bit of structure to a French team with bags of potential but who are badly coached. Another nice feather in his cap if France have a semi decent World Cup and get out of their group.
Some quick wins there, france cover the back field!
I hope he’s been brought in by the existing coaches and not parachuted in without their approval. He’s getting some great experience. Again Ireland will need a second in command after the World Cup.
Warren Gatland has also been approached
Defence coach!? He’ll have to call David Wallace!
The only thing I could see potentially scuppering this deal is that ROG would not be available for pre-season training with any prospective clubs if he took the French job.
@EK: He’d be available for Super Rugby preseason so if he’s kept on by the Crusaders it wouldn’t clash at all.
@Eddie Hekenui: My mistake. For some reason I thought that the Super Rugby pre-season started earlier than that.
@EK: Hard to tell the way rugby seems to be never ending these days!! Southern Hemisphere off season starts in late November and the Super Rugby preseason normally kicks off the first or second weekend in July
Win win. If they pick up then ROG will get all the praise and if they remain a shambles then ‘no one could save them with the state they were in’. Conor O’Shea knows what I mean!