SESTO SAN GIOVANNI – Inter Primavera recovered from an early setback to beat Atalanta 3-1 on Wednesday and advance to the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
The visitors drew first blood just nine minutes into the encounter when Eyob Zambataro scored with a backheel.
It could have been worse for Inter as Atalanta nearly doubled their lead on the 15-minute mark but Zambataro's cross-shot fortunately came back off the top part of the post.
The Nerazzurri found an equaliser shortly before half-time as a quickly taken free kick released Xian Emmers and the Belgian midfielder made no mistake with his finish.
Then in first-half stoppage time Andrea Pinamonti played in Loris Zonta with a lovely ball and the captain beat Roberto Taliento to complete the turnaround.
Atalanta were reduced to 10 men around the hour mark after Alessandro Bastoni collected his second yellow card of the game for pulling back Axel Bakayoko.
Stefano Vecchi's men looked to wrap up the match and managed it in the 85th minute, when Rigoberto Rivas went on a brilliant solo run before finishing at the near post.
The Nerazzurri will now face Roma in a two-legged semi-final in January.
INTER 3-1 ATALANTA (HT 2-1)
Scorers: Zambataro 9, Emmers 40, Zonta 47, Rivas 85.
INTER: 1 Di Gregorio; 2 Mattioli, 5 Gravillon, 6 Lombardoni, 3 Miangue; 10 Emmers (16 Awua, 84), 8 Zonta, 4 Carraro, 11 Rivas (19 Piscopo, 89); 7 Bakayoko, 9 Pinamonti.
Subs not used: 12 Dekic, 13 Valietti, 14 Nolan, 15 Cagnano, 17 Danso, 18 Putzolu, 20 Bollini, 21 Belkheir, 22 Souare.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
ATALANTA: 1 Taliento; 2 Dossena, 5 Gatti, 6 Bastoni; 7 Zambataro, 8 Melegoni (23 Tomas, 64), 4 Bolis (18 Pagliari, 75), 11 Mallamo, 3 Migliorelli; 9 Mazzocchi (21 Elia, 90+1), 10 Capone.
Subs not used: 12 Vidovsek, 13 Alari, 14 Marchetti, 15 Ogliari, 16 Del Prato, 17 Gasaperoni, 19 Colpani, 20 Zanoni.
Coach: Valter Bonacina.
Booked: Carraro 32, Capone 40, Bastoni (51, 61), Migliorelli (66), Mattioli (73).
Sent off: Bastoni (61).
Added time: 2+3 minutes.
Referee: Daniel Amabile (Vicenza).
Assistants: Moro and Marcolin.
