An extra-time winner by Alessandro Matri kept Juventus on track for the treble as the Serie A champions ended a 20-year wait for a Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) final victory with a 2-1 win over Lazio on Wednesday.
Juventus were stunned after just four minutes when Stefan Radu rose to beat Marco Storari with a powerful header from a free-kick after Paul Pogba had given away a needless foul on the right flank.
Juve got back on level terms thanks to Giorgio Chiellini’s half-volley in the 10th minute.
The match finished all square after 90 minutes but Matri, back on loan at Juve after being sold to AC Milan in 2013, made the difference when he latched on to Carlos Tevez’s lay-off inside the area to bundle past Etrit Berisha in the Lazio net.
Juve held on to their lead amid a tense second period of extra-time to send the black and white half of the Stadio Olimpico into raptures as the champions secured their first league and cup double since 1995.
“It’s our first cup trophy in 20 years, so it’s obviously special for us,” said Matri.
Juve now just have to focus on the Champions League final against Barcelona in Berlin on June 6 to complete their season and emulate the treble feats of Inter Milan, in 2010.
“It was a great final,” said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. “Now we just have to keep our focus until June 6.
“We’ll go to Berlin having won the league and the cup, but Barcelona are in great form, just as we are.”
Allegri was missing midfielder Claudio Marchisio and striker Alvaro Morata through suspension, and was also without No 1 goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, whose absence was felt almost immediately when Storari struggled to reach Radu’s powerful header from a free-kick on the right.
Yet Juventus, who beat Lazio 3-0 and 2-0 in their Serie A encounters this season, were soon back on level terms.
The fingers of blame had pointed at Chiellini after Radu’s opener, but the big Juve defender was in the right place at the right time when Andrea Pirlo fired in a free-kick from 25 metres out on 10 minutes.
Pirlo’s curling delivery was headed into the area by Pogba and Chiellini was left enough space to connect and beat Berisha with a close-range volley.
Fernando Llorente fired a header just over Berisha’s bar and after Pirlo saw a free-kick blocked and what followed displayed Lazio’s threat on the counter.
Brazilian Felipe Anderson carried the ball all the way through the Juve midfield to offload for Danilo Cataldi, forcing Buffon to go down low to collect.
Chances were few in a far more tense second half and Lazio striker Miroslav Klose was almost invisible before being replaced by Filip Djordjevic seven minutes from time.
Instead, Antonio Candreva and Anderson were running the show for Rome club, albeit with little reward.
Allegri replaced Pogba with Roberto Pereyra on 78 minutes and his freshness told immediately, the Argentine tracking back to dispossess Anderson as the Brazilian held possession in a dangerous three-on-three.
Lazio spurned a great chance to claim a late winner, however, when Djordjevic made a complete mess of a one-on-one with Storari.
Matri, who replaced Llorente six minutes from time, had the ball in the net moments after his arrival only for the goal to be ruled offside.
Lazio spurned another great chance to clinch the cup when Djordjevic turned and fired a drive which beat Storari only to come off the near post and rebound across the goalmouth.
But Matri, who has played for four different clubs since joining Juventus in 2011, made the most of his opportunity.
Tevez did well to control a long ball and drew two defenders before laying off for Matri to fire inside Berisha’s near post and send the Curva Nord into raptures.
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
Grand slam winners since July 2003
Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam
Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)
Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)
Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)
Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)
Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open)
Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)
Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)
Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)
Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
FIVE%20TRENDS%20THAT%20WILL%20SHAPE%20UAE%20BANKING
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Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5