Isak Hien tried to stop Dušan Vlahović in the fourth minute of the Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Atalanta, but he looked as if he ran into a rock. The Swede entered the duel much more forcefully in the 54th minute and, first with his knee and then with his body, threw Vlahović to the ground. Fabio Maresca could have but didn’t point to the penalty spot. Vlahović didn’t have the referee on his side even twenty minutes before the end when his goal from a header was cancelled due to a millimetre offside. In that 73rd minute, it remained 1-0 for Juventus precisely with Dušan Vlahović’s goal after the mentioned run, in which Hien was powerless to take the ball from him. It was enough for Torino’s victory and the first trophy for the Old Lad since 2021. The formal hosts of the final in Rome had the initiative, more ball possession, and more shots, but none on target. Juventus played for the result, and like three years ago in the battle for the trophy, they were successful again against their rivals from Bergamo. The man of the moment was Dušan Vlahović, who reacted brilliantly to Andrea Cangiano’s pass in the fourth minute. Berat Djimsiti was late to follow the offside trap, and Hien was too weak to stop the Serbian striker.WESTON MCKENNIE & TIM WEAH ARE COPPA ITALIA CHAMPIONS! 🇺🇸Juventus beat Atalanta 1-0 for record 15th crown. Creator-in-chief McKennie registers competition-leading three assists, plus hockey assist in final. 🪄His second Coppa medal, Weah’s first. 🥇pic.twitter.com/BfiCDhYKOX— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 15, 2024 Massimiliano Allegri’s side had won just three matches since the end of January coming into the final but frustrated Atalanta. Wednesday’s win ended a three-year trophy drought for Juventus, Italy’s most successful and widely-supported club. Atalanta were fancied to win their first major honour since winning the cup in 1963 after a fabulous season for the traditionally provincial club. However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team couldn’t find a way through a brilliantly organised Juventus defence which stopped attack-minded Atalanta from having a single shot on target. The closest Atalanta came to levelling was when Ademola Lookman thumped a shot off the base of the post with 10 minutes remaining. Atalanta now turn their attentions to sealing Champions League football through Serie A and next week’s Europa League final. The Bergamo club, who are fifth in Italy’s top flight, face Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin in their first ever European final.COPPA ITALIAFinalWednesdayAtalanta – Juventus 0-1 (0-1)/Vlahovic 4/
