Dan Ndoye carved his name into Bologna folklore by delivering the winning strike that secured the club’s first Coppa Italia triumph in over five decades.
His goal sealed a 1-0 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, ending Bologna’s 51-year drought and leaving the Rossoneri still yearning for their first cup success since 2003.
Just five days after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Milan in Serie A, Bologna returned with a point to prove, t his time on the grand stage of the Coppa Italia final.
Making their first appearance in the final since lifting the trophy in 1974, Bologna almost faced an early setback.
Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski produced a crucial double save, first thwarting an unfortunate moment from Sam Beukema and then reacting quickly to deny Luka Jovic’s follow-up effort.
That would be Milan’s lone attempt on target in the first half, as Bologna began to dictate play with dominant possession.
However, they could only test Mike Maignan with three comfortable efforts, and the teams headed into the break deadlocked—just as they had in their recent league encounter.
The second half mirrored that previous meeting in at least one key aspect: an early goal. This time, it was Bologna who struck gold.
Riccardo Orsolini lost possession to a sliding tackle inside the box, but the loose ball fell kindly to Ndoye, who remained composed and rifled a right-footed shot past a helpless Maignan, sparking wild celebrations from the Rossoblu faithful.
That goal, Ndoye’s first of the tournament, prompted Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao to make a bold triple substitution, summoning Kyle Walker, Joao Felix, and Santiago Gimenez, who had scored twice in the recent league fixture.
Despite Milan’s renewed attacking intent, Bologna’s defense held firm. The substitutes found little joy against a resolute backline, which stood tall under increasing pressure and allowed only fleeting glimpses at goal.
For Vincenzo Italiano, the six minutes of added time must have seemed interminable. But when the final whistle blew, it confirmed not just a historic Coppa Italia title, but also the first major trophy of his coaching career. Bologna’s victory also guarantees them places in next season’s UEFA Europa League and the Supercoppa Italiana.
While celebrations erupted among Bologna’s players and supporters, Milan were left to rue a missed opportunity, a painful defeat that closes another avenue to European qualification in a campaign to forget.