XtraTime Web Desk: Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret produced a moment of brilliance to help his team lift the Coppa Italia for the sixth time, beating Juventus in the final at the Stadio Olimpico. Both Juventus and Napoli could not break the deadlock in the regulation time forcing the match to go into penalty shootout.
Napoli converted all their four spot kicks while Dybala’s shot was blocked by Meret and Danilo’s shot went over the cross piece. Insigne, Politano, Arkadiusz Maksimovic and Milik scored for Napoli while Leonardo Bonucci and Aaron Ramsey scored for Juve. Juventus talismanic player Cristiano Ronaldo did not get an opportunity to take the last shot for his team.
It was the first Coppa Italia title for Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso. He had a sweet revenge as he lost to the same opponents in the Coppa Italia final three years back as AC Milan coach in 2018.
It was Juventus who got the first opportunity to score in the fifth minute of the final. Ronaldo’s low shot was brilliantly saved by Meret who could play the final because of the suspension of regular goalkeeper David Ospina. Napoli too had their chances as Lorenzo Insigne’s curling free-kick beat the outstretched hands of Gianluigi Buffon to hit the left hand post. The Juventus veteran was at its best in the final as he blocked a shot from Diego Demme and then foiled another attempt by Napoli captain Insigne. Both sides went into the breather with the score sheet reading 0-0.
The second half was reasonably subdued with both sides not creating many opportunities. Gattuso’s side had the best opportunity of the match towards the dying minutes as Nikola Maksimovic’s powerful header was saved by Buffon. In the rebound Eljif Elmas’ close-range shot hit the upright.
At the end of the final, Gattuso was seen giving an emotional speech to his players. The former Italian international earlier dedicated the semi final win to his sister Francesca who passed away a few days back.