RIYADH: Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez struck a last-gasp goal to snatch a dramatic 1-0 win over 10-man Napoli as they claimed their third successive Italian Super Cup title on Monday.

The victory also handed Inter an eighth Supercoppa title, trailing only one behind Juventus’ record haul of nine.

The match at Al-Awwal Park was the first final of the four-team Super Cup format, which included the winners and runners-up of the Italian league and cup.

Martinez’s goal gave Inter coach Simone Inzaghi a record-breaking fifth Super Cup win in his career after winning it for the third successive year.

Inzaghi overtakes Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi, two icons of Italian coaching, for Super Cup wins.

The 47-year-old also won it twice while managing Lazio, in 2017 and 2019.

“We must congratulate Napoli, they played a great game,” Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, who became the Supercoppa’s record winning coach with five titles, told Mediaset. “We played a semi-final three days ago and then a final today, it was something new for everyone. We kept our focus high.”

Martinez’s winner came in stoppage time when Benjamin Pavard made a great solo run and crossed from the right to find the Argentine striker in the six-yard box for a simple finish.

Inter dominated possession but struggled to take advantage of the extra man after Giovanni Simeone was sent off on the hour for a second yellow card after a foul on Francesco Acerbi.

“I am very proud and happy. We were eliminated from the Italian Cup, so we wanted to win the Super Cup,” said Martinez, who has 21 goals in 27 games in all competitions this season. “It was tough, we had a day’s less rest, we were not sharp, but I am proud of this team. The goal was a great emotion, a unique moment.”

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024