Roma join Inter in Cup final

AS Roma and Inter Milan will battle each other for silverware on two fronts after the capital-based club reached the Coppa Italia final on Thursday.

Roma held on for a 1-1 draw against Sicilians Catania to go through 2-1 on aggregate following their 1-0 victory in the home leg of their semi-final last month.

The visitors took the lead on 27 minutes after Macedonia forward Mirko Vucinic was tripped in the area by a stupid lunge from Argentine midfielder Mariano Izco.

Vucinic was heading away from goal at the time and the chalenge was totally unnecessary but Alberto Acquilani gleefully buried the spot-kick from 12 yards.

The lead lasted only two minutes, though, as Cristian Silvestri rose unchallenged to head home Giuseppe Mascara's free-kick for the hosts.

Roma came closest to scoring in the second half when Simone Perrotta clipped the top of the bar with a half-volley from inside the area.

It's the fourth successive Italian Cup final that Roma have qualified for, a source of pride for coach Luciano Spalletti, especially as this year the final will be played as a one-off match at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

“It's a great satisfaction to play in front of our public,” he said. “It's a tribute to how the lads have worked.”

With Inter also reaching the final following a 2-0 aggregate victory over Lazio, the top two in the league will play a repeat of last year's final, which Roma won.

The title could be decided this weekend if Inter beat Siena at home or if Roma lose against Atalanta. But Spalletti has not given up hope.

“We have to do what we have to do and try to win against Atalanta,” he added. “We'll try but Inter have to drop points.”