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Juventus FC advances to the Coppa Italia final despite a second-leg loss to Lazio.
Juventus advanced to the Coppa Italia final despite losing 2-1 to Lazio on the night, winning 3-2 on aggregate. Arkadiusz Milik became Juventus’ hero, scoring with his first touch just seconds after coming on as a replacement.
This critical moment overturned Lazio’s efforts to erase Juventus’ opening 2-0 lead from the first leg, thanks to a brace from Valentin Castellanos.
Juventus FC began the game aggressively, nearly opening the scoring with Andrea Cambiaso’s strike, which narrowly missed the target.
However, Lazio reacted swiftly, with Castellanos headed in from Luis Alberto’s corner to give the home team hope of cutting the aggregate deficit.
Despite additional opportunities for both teams, including a critical save by Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin to deny Castellanos a second goal before halftime, Milik’s late shot ultimately decided the match.
A booking for midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who will miss the final due to suspension, heightened Juventus’ anxieties. The game also featured remarkable defensive efforts from both teams, particularly Adam Marusic’s last-ditch stop to deny Dusan Vlahovic a goal.
Juventus now awaits their final opponent, either Fiorentina or Atalanta, which will be played next month. This victory keeps their aspirations alive for extending their Coppa Italia winning streak to 15 titles.
The semi-finals demonstrated the combative spirit of Italian football, as well as Juventus FC manager Massimiliano Allegri’s technical prowess. Clever replacements helped the club get to the final.
