Inter Milan booked their place in the Coppa Italia semifinals with a dominant 2-0 victory over Lazio on Tuesday, thanks to a stunning strike from Marko Arnautovic and a composed penalty from Hakan Calhanoglu.
Arnautovic delivered a moment of brilliance just before halftime, unleashing a perfectly timed volley from outside the box after a Lazio clearance, sending the ball soaring into the net.
The Austrian forward’s sensational effort immediately became a highlight of the match, but he remained humble about it.
“What matters for Inter also matters for me. The most important thing is winning the match, and we are very happy,” Arnautovic told Mediaset, downplaying his wonder goal.
Lazio pushed for a way back into the game after the break, with Gustav Isaksen coming closest to scoring around the hour mark.
His shot from a tight angle looked dangerous, but Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez reacted quickly, denying him with his foot.
Inter put the game beyond doubt in the 77th minute when Calhanoglu confidently dispatched a penalty, sending Lazio’s Christos Mandas the wrong way after Samuel Gigot fouled Joaquin Correa in the box.
With this victory, Inter continued their strong record in the Coppa Italia, reaching the semifinals for the fifth time in six seasons and the 30th time overall.
They will now face city rivals AC Milan in a highly anticipated two-legged clash in April.
The two Milan clubs have already met three times this season, with Milan winning twice, including a triumph in the Italian Super Cup final in January, while the other encounter ended in a draw.
“Last season we beat Milan many times, we will be ready and we will think about it when the match arrives,” Inter midfielder Piotr Zielinski remarked, looking ahead to the derby.
Meanwhile, Juventus will take on Empoli on Wednesday, with the winner set to meet Bologna in the other semifinal.
