Inter Milan secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia after defeating Udinese 2-0 at the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 19, 2024. The I Nerazzurri, coached by Simone Inzaghi, came off the back of a resounding 6-0 victory over Lazio just days prior and were eager to maintain their momentum. The win also allowed them to bounce back from their UEFA Champions League setback against Bayer Leverkusen.
The match started with both teams aiming to establish control early on, but it was Inter who showed their intent quickly. The hosts played with pragmatic efficiency, demonstrating their ability to rotate the squad successfully—making eight changes from their last outing. Notable changes included Josep Martinez starting as goalkeeper, alongside Matteo Darmian, Yann Bisseck, and Alessandro Bastoni forming the back three. Tajon Buchanan also made his first start for the club, taking the right-wingback position.
Inter's attacking strategies bore fruit as early as the 30th minute when Marko Arnautovic capitalized on Udinese's defensive errors expertly. With lightning speed, he launched a counterattack which concluded with him scoring the opening goal, surprising the Udinese defense.
The Friulani, under Kosta Runjaic's direction, struggled to maintain possession and frequently found themselves under pressure. Despite changes to their line-up, including Alexis Sanchez starting for the first time since his return to the club, Udinese lacked the sharpness to penetrate Inter's defensive lines.
Although they held their ground for the remainder of the first half, Udinese could not prevent Inter from doubling their advantage just before halftime. Kristjan Asllani took advantage of a corner situation where the ball found its way to the far post unchallenged, making it 2-0 as the players headed to the locker room.
With the second half underway, Inter continued to dominate possession, pushing forward to increase their lead. Udinese, on the other hand, tried to regroup but found few chances to threaten Inter's goal. The match referee, Massimi, added four minutes to the clock, sensing the urgency, but the team from Udine remained unable to find their rhythm.
Neither team made significant headway during the second half, as substitutions rolled out to refresh players. Udinese made notable changes, including bringing on Iker Bravo and Brenner, yet the efforts bore little fruit against Inter's solid defense.
The final whistle sounded with Inter Milan sealing victory at 2-0. This result came as welcome news for the home supporters, who have witnessed their team struggle internally and externally at various points this season. The win not only propels Inter forward but also raises questions about Udinese’s performance on the road, now having recorded five losses out of their last seven matches across all competitions.
Inter Milan moves on to the quarter-finals with hopes of going all the way to reclaim the Copa Italia title. For Udinese, this defeat raises concerns to be addressed as they head back to the drawing board, with their next few fixtures looming significant to their league survival.
The path to recovery begins as both teams look to engage with different strategies for the second half of their respective seasons, with Inter targeting the title and Udinese recovering form to solidify their place above the relegation zone.
