Bologna ended a 51-year look forward to a significant trophy on Thursday after profitable the Italian Cup with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan, who slumped to yet one more painful defeat in a horror season. Dan Ndoye scored the aim within the 53rd minute which gave Bologna a historic victory, their first honour since final profitable the cup in 1974. Bologna hadn’t even been in a significant event remaining since final profitable the Italian Cup — the second of their two home cup triumphs. But coach Vincenzo Italiano has a completed a superb job since arriving to interchange Thiago Motta at Bologna, who’ve gained the Italian championship seven occasions however final did so in 1964.
Wednesday’s victory was additionally Italiano’s first main honour as a coach as he misplaced three finals together with his earlier membership Fiorentina, together with the 2023 Italian Cup remaining.
Italiano was held aloft by his jubilant gamers as Bologna followers danced and cried within the Stadio Olimpico stands after seeing what many thought they’d by no means see.
Milan have been topped European champions the identical season they final gained the cup in 2003, a distinct time for a membership as soon as owned by deceased former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Rivals Inter Milan are within the Champions League remaining and making an attempt to retain their Serie A title whereas Milan are in battle to qualify for Europe after lacking out on the cup.
Sergio Conceicao’s workforce sit eighth in Serie A, three factors behind Roma who sit within the Conference League spot and host Milan on Sunday.
Bologna triumph
Santiago Castro had the primary likelihood of the sport for Bologna within the eighth minute however didn’t get sufficient on a vicious inswinging free-kick to divert it previous Mike Maignan, who was already dedicated within the Milan aim.
Bologna survived an enormous scare moments later when Alex Jimenez bought down the appropriate and drilled in a low cross which Sam Beukema diverted straight at his goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, who was then fortunate sufficient for Luka Jovic to smash the rebound proper down his throat.
The match turned a extra tense affair after that, and it wasn’t till Ndoye’s winner that both workforce had one other alternative, the Switzerland attacker shimmying and lashing dwelling after Riccardo Orsolini was tackled within the penalty space by Theo Hernandez.
Milan have been comeback specialists this season, together with when beating Bologna 3-1 within the league final weekend.
But they solely mustered up one different likelihood of observe within the 71st minute, when substitute Santiago Gimenez’s dreadful first contact successfully handed Hernandez’s low cross to Skorupski.
Bologna efficiently, if considerably awkwardly, hacked away Milan’s limp makes an attempt to assault, and collapsed to the bottom in exhaustion as soon as referee Maurizio Mariani blew the ultimate whistle.
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