Lazio sealed their place in the Coppa Italia final after edging Atalanta in a tense penalty shoot-out, following a 1–1 draw in Bergamo and a 3–2 aggregate scoreline.
With both sides locked after extra time, Edoardo Motta emerged as the hero, delivering a stunning performance from the spot to send the Biancocelesti through.
Atalanta lined up in a 3-4-2-1 system led by Nikola Krstovic, with Nicola Zalewski and Charles De Ketelaere supporting in attack.
Marten de Roon partnered Ederson in midfield, while Davide Zappacosta and Lorenzo Bernasconi operated as wing-backs.
On the other side, Maurizio Sarri stuck with his trusted 4-3-3 formation, spearheaded by Tijjani Noslin, alongside Matteo Cancellieri and Mattia Zaccagni. Adam Marusic returned from injury to join Nuno Tavares, Alessio Romagnoli, and Mario Gila in defence.
The opening half was cagey, with Atalanta dominating possession but struggling to break through.
Lazio relied heavily on Mario Gila, who produced two crucial interventions—first to deny Krstovic in a one-on-one situation, and later to block Zalewski’s close-range effort. Lazio’s best chance came midway through the half when Cancellieri drove forward, but his effort was comfortably stopped.
After the restart, Atalanta thought they had taken the lead when Ederson tapped home following a scramble in the box.
However, VAR ruled out the goal for a foul on Motta by Krstovic. Lazio capitalised late on, as Romagnoli fired home from a Zaccagni corner in the 84th minute to give the visitors the advantage.
The lead lasted only moments, with Mario Pašalić quickly responding for Atalanta. His low strike, aided by a slight deflection, found its way into the net to level the score.
Gianluca Scamacca nearly snatched a dramatic winner in stoppage time, but Motta’s fingertip save pushed the ball onto the post, forcing extra time.
The additional period produced little action, though Atalanta had another goal disallowed for offside after Giacomo Raspadori found the net. With neither side able to find a breakthrough, the tie was decided by penalties.
Motta delivered a remarkable display in the shoot-out, saving four consecutive penalties after Raspadori converted the opener.
Lazio held their nerve, with Gustav Isaksen and Kenneth Taylor converting key kicks to secure victory.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper’s heroics ensured Lazio’s progression to the final, where they will face Inter Milan, keeping their silverware hopes alive.
