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Juventus won the Coppa Italia for the first time in twenty years to keep their dream of achieving a historic treble alive. Juve beat Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico,Lazio’s home stadium, 2-1 in an energy-sapping game after extra time.
A game which tipified Italian football with both teams opting for three defenders at the back. With the hero of the Champions League victory against Real Madrid, Alvaro Morata, out due to suspention, Massimiliano Allegri opted to start with Fernando Llorente upfront. Lazio chose German veteran Miroslav Klose to partner Felipe Anderson upfront.
Lazio come out flying
Lazio had won the Coppa five times since Juve won it the last time and were keen on making ot six. They looked up for the challenge when they took the lead as early as the fourth minute when Radu scored off his shoulder from Danilo Cataldi's free-kick.
Lazio’s lead lasted only seven minutes when Giorgio Chiellini scored his first goal of the campaign with an exceptional finish. Andrea Pirlo swung in a freekick towards the far post which was headed back into the six-yard box by Patrice Evra. The ball was slightly behind Chiellini but he did brilliantly to place it in the top corner.
Juve held off pressure with ease and restricted Lazio to shots from distance. With the score set a 1-1 the game moved the extra time.
Lazio almost snatch the lead
Substitute, Filip Djordjevic, almost gave Lazio the lead with a fearsome stop from 30 yards with bounced off both posts and came out.
That was the wakeup call that the Turin side needed. Pirlo played a long ball forward, which fortunately fell right into Alessandro Matri's path in the penalty area. His low hit the diving Berisha’s hand and crept in for the winner.
Juve defended the lead and never looked like conceding after the second goal went in. In an already prolific season for Juventus they now are the outright leaders in total Coppa Italia wins with 11.
Things could get even better if they could beat Barcelona in the Champions League final in Berlin on the 7th of June.
