Juventus lift Italian Cup with extra-time winner

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Italian league winners on course for treble as they take on Barcelona in the Champions League final.

This was a record tenth Coppa title for Juventus [EPA]

Substitute Alessandro Matri was the unlikely hero when he scored an extra-time winner to give Juventus a 2-1 win over Lazio in the Coppa Italia final, keeping them on course for the treble.

Matri, who has changed clubs in each of the last four transfer windows and been a fringe player since returning to Juventus in January, blasted the ball into the roof of the net in the seventh minute of extra-time.

It was a record tenth Coppa title for Juventus, although their first since 1995. Having already won Serie A for a fourth successive season, Juventus will attempt to cap their season by winning the Champions League in the final against Barcelona on June 6.

Lazio took a shock lead after four minutes when Andrea Pirlo failed to cut out a free kick into the area and Stefan Radu rose to head the ball into the top of the net.

Juventus needed only seven minutes to reply, central defender Giorgio Chiellini popping up to volley home from close range after Pirlo's floated free kick was knocked down by Paul Pogba.

Matri had a goal ruled out for offside late in the second half but made no mistake when Tevez's shot rebounded at his feet in extra-time in a move set up by an incisive ball by Pirlo.

Source: Reuters