Lazio shootout heroics

Lazio reached the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday after 21-year-old goalkeeper Edoardo Motta saved four straight penalties in a shootout win over Atalanta. (espn.com) The second leg in Bergamo finished 1-1 after extra time, leaving the semifinal tied 3-3 on aggregate after a 2-2 first leg on March 4. Alessio Romagnoli scored for Lazio in the 84th minute, and Mario Pasalic equalized two minutes later. (espn.com) (legaseriea.it) Motta then stopped penalties from Gianluca Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta, Mario Pasalic and Charles De Ketelaere. Gustav Isaksen and Kenneth Taylor converted for Lazio, which won the shootout 2-1. (espn.com) Atalanta had two goals wiped out by video review in the second leg. Giacomo Raspadori was ruled offside in extra time, and Éderson had an earlier goal disallowed after a foul on the Lazio goalkeeper. (espn.com) The result sends Lazio into a May 13 final against Inter Milan. Inter got there a day earlier, on April 21, by coming back from 2-0 down to beat Como 3-2 after a 0-0 first leg. (espn.com) (legaseriea.it) (espn.com) For Lazio, the cup run has cut against the shape of its league season. The club sat ninth in Serie A on 47 points after 33 matches before this semifinal, while Inter led the table on 78 points. (legaseriea.it 1) (legaseriea.it 2) Coach Maurizio Sarri said the run included wins over last season’s finalists Milan and Bologna before the semifinal against Atalanta. He also said the final guarantees Lazio a place in next season’s four-team Supercoppa Italiana. (sports.yahoo.com) Sarri said Motta joined in January and stepped in after Ivan Provedel suffered a season-ending injury. He said Motta had now saved five of six penalties faced in a Lazio shirt, including one in Serie A against Bologna. (sports.yahoo.com) The semifinal ended with the youngest player on the pitch deciding it from 12 yards. Lazio now heads to Rome for the final with a goalkeeper who turned one shootout into his first national introduction. (espn.com) (sports.yahoo.com)