‘Pessina was extraordinary’
Matteo Pessina scored twice as Atalanta knocked holders Napoli out of the Coppa Italia with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday to set up a final against Juventus.
A goalless draw in the first leg of the semi-final left the tie on a knife edge, but the hosts raced into a commanding early lead as Duvan Zapata smashed in an unstoppable shot and Pessina swept home the second inside the opening 16 minutes.
Napoli came to life after the break and pulled one back through Hirving Lozano before Pessina's dinked finish 12 minutes from time left the visitors' hopes of a successful Cup defence in tatters. "It's a great satisfaction, we dedicate this to the fans. The regret is not to live these moments with them, but reaching a final is a sign of continuity," Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told a news conference.
"Since Jan.3 we've played every three days, for six weeks. These guys are extraordinary, it's not easy to recover all your energy. This is an extraordinary team for its courage and spirit but also for its respect for the opponent."
"Pessina? He was extraordinary in his two goals, he will also be very useful for the national team," he added.
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