Sensi sends the Nerazzurri to the quarterfinals in extra time

L’Inter beat theEmpoli and qualifies for the quarters of Italian Cup, but the task turns out to be much more complicated than expected. Inter ahead with Sanchez in the first half, then in the second half Empoli overtook the hosts with Bajrami and Radu’s own goal after a header by Cutrone. Draw re-established in the 90th minute with a feat of Frog then in extra time the decisive goal by Senses just entered.

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THE MATCH
It is never a good sign when a team loses a player after two laps of the clock. This is what happens to Inter, not even the time to fully understand being on the pitch and immediate stop for Tucu Correa. Too rough contrast from Romagnoli and grimace of pain for the Argentine, who leaves the pitch in tears and gives way to Alexis Sanchez. Worse than this one could not start, but it is also true that sometimes something extremely favorable is born from a negative circumstance.

Sanchez, then. Inside the Chilean without warming up, but in this period Nino Maravilla fearlessly challenges the laws of physics and biology. He turns everything he touches into gold, treats the ball with an ease that disarms. So it is Sanchez who puts his team ahead with a free flight and a perfect header that hits Dumfries’ cross. The goal is beautiful and the action is beautiful, the kind that Inter usually manages to stage when they have the whole team, a circumstance that in this case is not the case.

Of the untouchables there is only Lautaro on the field, who needs to play (and possibly to score), the rest of this Inter is an unprecedented combination. Even after Sanchez got up to enter, it is impressive to cast a glance at the Nerazzurri bench where there are three top-level defenders plus Barella, Calhanoglu and Dzeko just to name a few. Brozovic is neither on the bench nor on the field and this makes us understand once more how irreplaceable the Croatian is in a maneuver that on the evening of San Siro is not the one of the last outings. None of Gagliardini, Vecino and Vidal have characteristics that can even vaguely recall Brozo. Other solutions are sought and found, but it is never the same music.

Empoli is also put on the field in the first half that ends with Inter 1-0 ahead. Andreazzoli, however, sends a team full of quality into the field, with two forwards who have given and will give like Pinamonti and Cutrone, plus the revelation Asllani behind them. If the

he plays with courage even in the middle of the pitch, where the Inter fans do not always have the right distances between them and, for obvious reasons, they are not always found by heart. In the middle of the field the Tuscans play evenly, on the flanks there is a prevalence of the hosts and it is no coincidence that the play of the Inter advantage arose precisely from the initiative of a winger (Dumfries). From there to the interval, clear opportunities only with Dumfries (deflected shot) and Lautaro (double close shot rejected by Furlan), plus some sporadic threats from Radu’s parts.

Finding the right compromise between the immediate needs and the thought of the next championship match, Andreazzoli revolutionizes the team in the interval, changing three at once. He understood that he can try to gamble on quality so he focuses on Henderson and Ricci. The first minutes of the second half prove him right, because apart from a two-step header (high) by Ranocchia, it is the Tuscans who take the wheel and drive at their own pace.

Nothing to be surprised if an increasingly self-confident Empoli goes to take a draw thanks to one of its newcomers, Bajrami. A play of his own, a left-footed conclusion from the edge that ends up in the corner with surgical precision. Far from random, far from an isolated episode. The equal goal comes at the end of a quarter of an hour played by Empoli in a perfect way, with the air of a great team and with an enchanting quality.

Inzaghi also tries to change his team, throws in Barella and Calhanoglu but they do not enter as effectively as the opponents. A couple of Nerazzurri conclusions, nothing special. Then the perfect murder of the Tuscans. First Sacchi whistles a penalty for a non-existent handball by Dumfries, then takes it off but does not detract from Empoli’s enthusiasm, which takes the lead with a header from Cutrone that hits the crossbar then on Radu’s heel and goes into the goal.

Since playing it with order and reasoning is useless, Inter threw the card of fury on the table. With Dzeko in the field he attacks with his head down. It would seem all useless but when the ninetieth is about to expire the

shot that straightens everything is that of Ranocchia, who in the opposing area turns into a striker and goes to make the 2-2 that pushes to extra time despite the thrill of a goal canceled in Sanchez for an offside by Dzeko.

Inzaghi asks his people to find balance and gets listened to. The first extra time follows the trend of the first half, with Inter who are more self-confident and more determined in their search for the opponent’s goal. Empoli’s restarts were less brilliant, certainly tried by a second half played at a thousand per hour. And by dint of stationing in front of the opponent’s area, Inter took the lead again at the end of the first extra time. The right, precise, is from Sensi who has just entered, the first scream of a so far complicated season and a segment of the match no less difficult to climb.

Reflections clouded on both sides, few emotions populate the second overtime. Inter exercises ball possession that this season almost always manages in a fluid and useful way, at Empoli the enthusiasm of the newcomers is no longer enough. And therefore, with much more effort than expected and with the help of a player like Sensi who already has the suitcase in his hand, Inter passes the turn. The winner of Rome-Lecce awaits her, probably one of the many matches of the heart.

REPORT CARDS
Sanchez 7 – Once upon a time there was a sad and discontented player who always walked in and out of the pitch with his head down, now there is a tarantulated elf who brushes magic plays and scores important goals. But this time it is not enough.
Vidal 6,5 – He seemed to have to try his hand as a director, instead he leaves this task to Vecino and works as Vidal, recovers and starts again. He comes out very angry because he knows he doesn’t deserve to be replaced.
Dumfries 6 – When there is something to go wild at a gallop he is always ready. Faster than anyone, often very lucid in putting the ball in the middle.
Furlan 6.5 – First official minutes of the season and immediately the impact with San Siro, an evening that he honors by opposing the numerous opponent’s conclusions as best he can.
Asllani 6.5 – He had given positive signals in his previous releases, he confirms them at least in part in this Milanese evening, always inserting himself profitably between the lines.
L. Martinez 6 – His is a strange period, because if on the one hand he is proving to know how to make himself available to the team even in the non-possession phase, on the other hand he has to find precision in the conclusions.
Dimarco 6 – His coach continues to prefer him as a central defender and the boy adapts diligently, even if in this way he loses that dynamism that could be very useful.
Neighbor 5 – He continues to prove himself a stranger to the rest of the team, it is not clear whether it is due to his responsibility or to a deteriorated relationship with the manager.
Bajrami 7 – He immediately begins to draw quality plays that give confidence to the team, it is almost natural that he is the one to score the 1-1 goal.
Cutrone 7 – First half of great sacrifice, then in the second half he returns much more inspired and it is from his header that the 2-1 goal is born.
Frog 6.5 – He suffers a lot for 90 minutes running after Cutrone, then just at the end he invents a goal of the kind that a defender scores once in a lifetime.
Sensi 6.5 – Everyone wonders why he enters the field having already been virtually sold to Sampdoria. Several mistakes in the first few games, then here is the 3-2 goal that turns the evening around.

THE TABLE
INTER 3-2 EMPOLI
Inter (3-5-2): Radu 6; D’Ambrosio 6, Ranocchia 6.5, Dimarco 6; Dumfries 6, Gagliardini 5 (32 ‘st Dzeko 6), Vecino 5 (19’ st Barella 6), Vidal 6,5 (19 ‘st Calhanoglu 5), Darmian 6 (19’ st Perisic 6); Correa sv (5 ‘pt Sanchez 7), L. Martinez 6 (pts Sensi 6,5). Coach S. Inzaghi 6. Available: Handanovic, Cordaz, De Vrij, Kolarov, Skriniar, Bastoni.
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Furlan 6.5; Fiamozzi 6 (26 ‘st Stojanovic 6), Viti 6, Romagnoli, 6 Marchizza 6 (40’ st Ismajli 6); Zurkowski 5.5 (1 ‘st Ricci 6.5), Stulac 6.5, Bandinelli 5.5 (1’ st Henderson 6.5); Asllani 6.5 (7 ‘sts Fazzini 5.5); Pinamonti 5.5 (1 ‘st Bajrami 7), Cutrone 7. Coach Andreazzoli 6.5. Available Vicar, Ujkani, Damiani, Tonelli, Rizza, Pezzola.
Referee: Sacks
Markers: 13 ‘pt Sanchez (I), 16’ st Bajrami (E), 31 ‘st aut. Radu (E), 45 ‘st Ranocchia (I), 15’ pts Sensi (I)
Ammonites: Vecino (I), Romagnoli (E)
Expelled: –

THE STATISTICS
Inter will play the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup for the 47th time and for the eighth consecutive season.
For the second consecutive season, Inter have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup through extra time (vs Fiorentina in 2020/21): the Nerazzurri have passed the round in four of the last six occasions in which they have played in extra time in the Italian Cup.
Inter have 20 season scorers, more than any other team in the five major European leagues considering all competitions.
Inter are unbeaten in 11 Italian Cup matches against Empoli, thanks to 10 wins and a draw – the Tuscan team that the Nerazzurri have faced several times without ever losing in the competition.
Alexis Sánchez returned to scoring in the Coppa Italia 4291 days after the first and until tonight the only time: it was April 21, 2010 with the Udinese shirt (vs Roma).
Alexis Sánchez has actively contributed to five goals in his last seven appearances for Inter in all competitions (four goals, one assist), as many participations as in the previous 25 (three goals, two assists).
Denzel Dumfries is the second Inter player to have provided at least one assist in three different competitions this season (Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia), after Matteo Darmian (Serie A, Champions, Supercoppa).
With Nedim Bajrami’s goal, Empoli scored a goal against Inter in the Coppa Italia 33 years, 11 months and 9 days after the last time (10 February 1988, Giuseppe Incocciati).
Nedim Bajrami has scored eight goals this season considering all competitions, with the exception of Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mario Pasalic (both nine) among the midfielders of the Italian league.
All of Andrea Ranocchia’s last two goals came in the Italian Cup from the 80th minute onwards.
Empoli have been eliminated in all the last five editions of the Italian Cup in which they reached the round of 16, after having qualified in the quarterfinals on three of the six previous occasions.

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