RIYADH: A second-half double from Denzel Dumfries earned Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Atalanta in Riyadh on Thursday to reach the Italian Super Cup final, where the Serie A champions will aim to win the trophy for the fourth successive time.

While Inter manager Sim­one Inzaghi went with his strongest available 11, Atala­nta’s Gian Piero Gasperini, already without top scorer Mateo Retegui through injury, surprisingly left both Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere on the bench.

The opening half ended scoreless, mostly thanks to Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi, who first denied Lautaro Martinez with a reflex save from close range.

Carnesecchi then pulled off a double save, parrying away a powerful Martinez shot, then quickly getting back on his feet to stop Federico Dimarco’s effort from the rebound.

Atalanta had one decent chance in the first half, thanks to a poor headed clearance att­e­mpt from Inter defender Ales­sandro Bastoni which left Gio­rgio Scalvini with a header from close range that he sent stra­ight at keeper Yann Sommer.

After the break, Inter forc­ed a couple of early corner kicks, and took the lead when the ball came to Dumfries in the six-yard box. With his back to goal the Dutchman controlled with a header before firing an overhead shot into the net.

Gasperini responded by sending on Lookman and De Ketelaere, along with Ederson, but it was Inter who found the second goal on the counter just when Atalanta began to look dangerous.

Dimarco’s crossfield pass missed Mehdi Taremi but fell to Dumfries who hit a scorching first time shot that left Carnesecchi with no chance as it went in off the crossbar.

Martinez should have put Inter out of sight when served by Dimarco and with just the keeper to beat, but again he was unable to beat Carnesecchi.

Inter were almost made to pay minutes later when Eder­son found the net, but the goal was ruled out for an offside and in added time, it was Sommer’s turn for some heroics, pulling off a double save from Berat Djimsiti and Lookman.

Martinez still had time for another poor miss, but Inter deservedly overcame an Atalanta side which probably paid the price for their initial team selection.

Juventus are the defending Super Cup champions and are up against AC Milan in the other semi-final. Saudi Arabia is staging the Super Cup, a four-team tournament, for the third year in a row.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2025