Bergamo, April 23: Lazio’s 21-year-old goalkeeper Edoardo Motta saved four consecutive spot kicks as the Roman club beat Atalanta in a penalty shootout to reach the Italian Cup final.
The score was 1-1 after extra time. The first leg ended 2-2.
Motta – who joined Lazio in January – stopped shots from Gianluca Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta, Mario Pasalic and Charles De Ketelaere as Lazio won the shootout 2-1 with Gustav Isaksen and Kenneth Taylor converting for the visitors.
Lazio will face Serie A leader Inter Milan in the May 13 final.Inter came back from two goals down for a 3-2 victory over Como on Tuesday after a 0-0 first leg.
Alessio Romagnoli and Pasalic traded goals in the final minutes of regulation. Motta then pushed a header from Scamacca off the post in stoppage time.
Giacomo Raspadori thought he had won it for Atalanta in the first extra time period but his headed goal was waved off by the VAR for offside.
Ederson also had a goal for Atalanta chalked off on the hour after a lengthy VAR check that determined there was a foul on the Lazio goalkeeper.
Lazio’s dramatic triumph in Bergamo will be remembered as much for Edoardo Motta’s extraordinary composure as for the team’s resilience in one of the season’s most tense knockout battles. At just 21, the young goalkeeper delivered a performance far beyond his years, announcing himself on the big stage with four stunning penalty saves that turned him into the undisputed hero of the night. Reaching the Italian Cup final offers Lazio not only a chance to lift silverware but also a major boost of belief as they prepare to face the formidable challenge of Serie A leaders Inter Milan. For Atalanta, the defeat will be particularly painful given the number of opportunities created and the fine margins decided by VAR and penalties, but for Lazio, it is a night that could define their campaign. With confidence soaring and a final now awaiting in May, the Roman side will hope this dramatic escape becomes the foundation for a memorable finish to the season and perhaps their first major domestic trophy in years. (AP)
