INTER CRUISE THROUGH TO CUP SEMIS

Wednesday, 16 February 2005 19:27:12

MILAN - The Nerazzurri ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over local rivals Atalanta at the Meazza on Wednesday to qualify for the Coppa Italia semi-finals and a two-legged clash with either Cagliari or Sampdoria, who meet on 17 March. Recoba, Emre and Cruz added to Obafemi Martins' goal from the first leg and stretch the Nerazzurri's unbeaten run in all competitions to thirty-eight matches. Edgar Davids went close to his first goal for Inter when his long-range shot crashed onto the crossbar on 29 minutes. It was a taste of things to come as Alvaro Recoba opened the scoring just after the half-hour. The Uruguayan cut out an Atalanta attack, ran with the ball for over forty yards, played a defence-splitting ball to Cruz then raced into the box to meet the return pass and slot his 65th Nerazzurri goal into an open net. Inter's second was just as spectacular. Emre received just inside the Atalanta half then dribbled two opponents in a mazy run on goal then beat Calderoni with a crisp, low shot. Argentine striker Julio Cruz made extra sure of qualification early in the second half, beating his marker to meet Recoba's pin-point left-wing cross and head into the far corner.

INTER 3-0 ATALANTA (HT: 2-0, AGG: 4-0)

Scorers: Recoba 31, Emre 36, Cruz 54

INTER: 15 Carini, 3 Burdisso, 5 Emre, 7 van der Meyde (10 Adriano 46), 8 Davids, 9 Cruz, 13 Zé Maria , 20 Recoba, 23 Materazzi, 24 Gamarra, 25 Stankovic (21 Karagounis 46)Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 4 J. Zanetti , 6 C.Zanetti, 11 Mihajlovic, 18 Kily GonzálezCoach: Roberto Mancini

ATALANTA: 27 Calderoni, 7 Marcolini, 9 Sinigaglia, 13 Innocenti (26 Motta 46), 16 Rivalta, 18 Montolivo, 22 Mingazzini, 23 Capelli, 24 Sala, 35 Pereira Da Silva Adriano (6 Bellini 46), 77 Pagano (20 Makinwa 58)Subs not used: 28 Caglioni, 8 Bernardini, 21 Lazzari, 33 Stendardo Coach: Delio Rossi Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Bologna) Booked: Pereira Da Silva Adriano 3