Coppa Italia, Final, Second Leg
Thursday May 18 2000
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
Inter Lazio 0-0
Lazio secure a historic double by winning the Coppa Italia following a goalless draw against Inter.
Nobody knew what to expect from Lazio. They had just won the scudetto in incredible circumstances and still smelling of champagne now had a final to play. The Lazio players came onto the pitch with dyed hair, some blond, some with streaks of blue, others with the Italian colours. The Biancocelesti had not trained for a few days and Inter needed just one goal to win.
Inter started much better than Lazio. In the 8th minute Nestor Sensini to Juan Sebastian Veron who lost the ball, Gigi Di Biagio to Seedorf in the box on the left, ball to the centre to Roberto Baggio whose shot was weak and saved by Marco Ballotta. Seerdorf tried again in the 16th minute but his shot went wide. Three minutes later Simeone headed a Beppe Favalli cross but Angelo Peruzzi saved. With one minute to go to the end of the first half Inzaghi, in an attempt to anticipate Laurent Blanc, sent the ball towards his own goal but Ballotta saved.
In the second half Veron hit the woodwork in the 47th minute from a free kick. Peruzzi was miraculous on a Sensini header for a corner in the 74th. In the 81st minute Grigorios Georgatos crossed in the box from the left, Benoit Cauet managed to pass the ball to Alvaro Recoba who dribbled Alessandro Nesta and had only Ballotta to beat. His shot was brilliantly saved by the Lazio second goalkeeper. In injury time Seedorf sent a good ball into the box on the right, Recoba ran faster than Favalli and aimed for the far post. Ballotta was beaten but the ball hit the woodwork.
The match ended 0-0 and Lazio won their third Coppa Italia.
Who played for Inter
Peruzzi, M.Serena (67' Georgatos), Cordoba, Blanc, Domoraud, J.Zanetti, Di Biagio, Cauet, Seedorf, Baggio (61' Recoba), Zamorano (46' Vieri).
Substitutes: Ferron, Fresi, Simic, Jugovic.
Manager: Lippi.
Who played for Lazio
Ballotta, Pancaro (87’ Couto), Nesta, Negro, Favalli, Conceicao, Sensini, Veron, Simeone, Mancini (46’ Ravanelli), S. Inzaghi (46’ Salas).
Manager: Eriksson
Referee: Paparesta
Sources