Roma to meet Inter in Cup final after Udinese draw

AS Roma and Inter Milan will contest the Italian Cup final for the fifth time in six years after Roma reached the trophy match despite a 1-0 defeat at Udinese in Wednesday’s semi-final, second leg.

Roma triumphed 2-1 on aggregate due to their 2-0 win at home in the first leg back in February.

Alexis Sanchez scored the only goal of the game nine minutes from time but that wasn’t enough to take the relegation threatened club past the Serie A leaders.

Roma had to survive some nervous last few moments after Marco Cassetti was harshly sent-off for a second booking six minutes from time.

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri had claimed on Tuesday that there would be no turnover but he still made five changes to the team that beat Lazio 2-1 on Sunday.

The likes of Francesco Totti and Mirko Vucinic were amongst those rested for this weekend’s visit of Sampdoria.

Roma controlled the first half without any scares but Udinese upped the tempo after the break.

Gokhan Inler fired narrowly over the bar while Simone Pepe swung a free-kick from the left just past the far post.

Sanchez gave the hosts the lead on 81 minutes when he beat John-Arne Riise on the outside and somehow squeezed a shot between Julio Sergio’s legs from a tight angle.

In a frantic finale Inler hit the post with a rasping shot from distance, the ball coming back out, hitting Sergio and going behind for a corner.

In the last minute of injury time, Pepe arrived at the back post six yards out to meet a cross but bundled the ball hopelessly over the bar.

Inter qualified for the final last week with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Fiorentina.

The Cup has been held in Rome for the last three years with Lazio triumphing last season and Roma doing so in the previous two years.

Before that, Inter had won it twice in a row.