SOCCER: Calhanoglu inspires Inter fightback to sink Como and reach Coppa Italia final

MILAN, Italy – Inter Milan secured their place in the Coppa Italia final on Tuesday, staging a remarkable comeback to defeat Como 3-2 after trailing 2-0. The victory gave Inter a 4-3 win on aggregate following a goalless draw in the first leg of their semi-final tie.

Having recently overcome a similar deficit in Serie A, Inter found themselves once again behind at the break. Como took the lead in the 32nd minute when Martin Baturina struck a first-time finish off the far post. The home side doubled their advantage just after the restart, with Lucas Da Cunha firing a low shot from a tight angle into the far corner.

But Inter’s response came in the second half, and it was Hakan Calhanoglu who inspired their revival. The Turkish midfielder pulled one back for the visitors in the 69th minute, capitalizing on a deflected shot from outside the area that beat Como keeper Andrea Coda.

As Como attempted to protect their lead, Inter’s relentless pressure grew. In the 86th minute, Calhanoglu rose to head home a well-placed cross, leveling the score on the night. Three minutes later, Petar Sucic completed the turnaround, striking the decisive goal to secure Inter’s place in the final.

Inter will now face either Atalanta or Lazio in the final, with the two teams meeting on Wednesday in Bergamo following a 2-2 draw in the first leg.

-Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters