Juventus’ players celebrate with the trophy
after winning the Italian Tim Cup final
football match AC Milan vs Juventus on May
21, 2016 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.
Juventus won 0-1 in the extra time. AFP
PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI / AFP PHOTO /
TIZIANA FABI
An extra-time winner from late substitute
Alvaro Morata saw Juventus to their 11th
Italian Cup with a 1-0 triumph over AC
Milan on Saturday.
It means Juventus become the first Italian
team to win successive league and Cup
doubles, a year after ending a 20-year wait
to achieve the feat.
AC Milan’s defeat means the seven-time
European champions failed to qualify for
Europe next season. Sixth place finishers
Sassuolo will be handed a Europa League
place.
Milan put everything into a match most
expected to be a one-sided in Juve’s favour
but came away lamenting their failure to
convert a host of chances.
Morata came off the bench to replace
Hernanes in the second period of extra
time, and only two minutes later the Spain
international fired a superb first-time strike
from Juan Cuadrado’s chipped pass past a
well beaten Ganluigi Donnarumma to wrap
up the double for Massimiliano Allegri’s
men.
Morata, who according to reports is
attracting interest from Premier League
clubs, told Rai Sport: “I’m really happy for
the Cup, it’s another one for Juve’s cabinet.
“Yesterday my friends asked me if I would
play, and I said no. So they (the team) told
me to go on and score. If only all finals
were like this… it’s the beautiful part of
football.
“My father’s in the stands and my mum’s
watching from home.”
But on all-round performance, the
champions were barely worthy winners
after a comparatively stirring Milan
performance given the disastrous season of
Cristian Brocchi’s men.
Juve midfielder Paul Pogba had claims for a
penalty waved away in the early stages
when he was upended by Davide Calabria.
But from then on, it was mostly all Milan.
Calabria overcame his early jitters to whip
in an inviting cross for Giacomo
Bonaventura on 13 minutes but the
midfielder lashed over from yards out.
It was the first of several misses in a one-
sided opening half that saw Matteo De
Sciglio, Andrea Poli and again Bonaventura
come close to breaking the deadlock.
Milan continued apace after the break, Neto
forced down low to stop De Sciglio’s low
strike in the opening minutes, although a
Juve counter had Donnarumma out his net
in quick fashion to palm away Mario
Lemina’s rasping cross away from the feet
of Dybala as the Argentine teed up to strike.
Juve enjoyed a brief spell of promise, but
when Pogba muscled his way into the area
his deflected strike was met by the right
hand of an alert Donnarumma at the near
post.
Stephan Lichsteiner then fired a header into
the hands of Donnarumma from Pogba’s
cross, and when Mario Lemina found Mario
Mandzukic with a great through ball
moments later Donnarumma parried the
Croatian striker’s half-volley on the turn on
74 minutes.
Allegri replaced Lichsteiner with Cuadrado
a minute later, and six minutes from the
finish M’Baye Niang replaced Poli.
Into extra-time, Juve got another sniff when
a tiring Riccardo Montolivo gifted the ball
away in midfield and Mandzukic set up
Pogba for a piercing strike from distance
that Donnarumma did well to parry.
Carlos Bacca then fired a spectacular
overhead kick just over and minutes later
the hosts had claims for a penalty waved
away when Honda came down after
clashing with Giorgio Chiellini.
Milan were tiring and Juve’s late changes
made the difference when a counter saw
Cuadrado allowed to fire a chip over for the
unmarked Morata, who swept past
Donnarumma with ease.
Milan threatened a late leveller when Jose
Mauri’s low drive from the edge of the area
shaved the post, but it was not to be for the
struggling Serie A giants
