Bologna’s coach Vincenzo Italiano couldn’t help but joke about a cursed goal before Ciro Immobile’s winning penalty shot against Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana on Friday. The Rossoblu, who clinched the Coppa Italia last season after a 51-year drought, will now face Napoli in the final on Monday.
Despite falling behind to an early goal from Inter’s Marcus Thuram, Bologna fought back with a penalty from captain Riccardo Orsolini to level the score before ultimately triumphing in a tense penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia played a crucial role in keeping Inter at bay in the second half.
The shoot-out saw five consecutive penalties missed or saved before Immobile’s powerful strike sealed Bologna’s first shoot-out victory since 1995. Italiano praised Immobile’s composure under pressure, highlighting his importance in such crucial moments.
In terms of expected goals, Bologna narrowly edged out Inter in regulation time, with Italiano acknowledging that a draw was a fair result given each team’s strong performance in one half of the match.
Inter manager Cristian Chivu emphasized the unpredictability of penalty shoot-outs, expressing pride in his team’s overall performance despite the disappointing result. The Nerazzurri have now been eliminated in their last three penalty shoot-outs, highlighting the need for improvement in such high-pressure situations.
Friday’s match marked the first time in recent Supercoppa history that a semi-final required a shoot-out, adding to the drama of the competition. The clash between Bologna and Napoli promises to be an exciting finale to what has already been a thrilling tournament.
