On Tuesday night, Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Inter in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals, even though they had the lead going into the last minute of added time.
As it’s often the case, the Derby d’Italia was an unpredictable affair. While the action was generally slow and cagey, the match came to life in the final minutes, while the drama reached its climax after the final whistle.
The Bianconeri had the first chance of the encounter, but Angel Di Maria’s right foot was denied by Samir Handanovic. The Nerazzurri also had a few opportunities in the first period, but Mattia Perin did well against Marcelo Brozovic’s attempt.
In the second half, momentum gradually turned in the Old Lady’s favor, and Juan Cuadrado consolidated his status as Inter’s ultimate bogeyman by getting on the end of Adrien Rabiot’s cross and putting his shot past the goalkeeper. Handanovic raced out of his goal in a desperate attempt to block the unmarked Colombian, but the latter still managed to find his way to goal.
While the referee was preparing to blow the final whistle, Gleison Bremer ruined what was a solid showing on a personal level by giving away a last-minute penalty as the ball struck his arm.
The avoidable spot kick was converted by Romelu Lukaku, and his celebration sparked a chaotic sequence of events that resulted in his dismissal along with Cuadrado and Handanovic.
So at the end of the day, Juventus wasted the opportunity to head towards the second leg with an advantage, so they must earn their qualification to the final at the Giuseppe Meazza on April 26.