The atmosphere at San Siro was somber as the second half got underway. Trailing to superb strikes from Martin Baturina and Lucas Da Cunha, Inter appeared to be heading for a premature exit. However, the talismanic Hakan Calhanoğlu single-handedly turned the tide: the Turkish international netted a brace before turning provider for Petar Sučić, who buried the winner in stoppage time.

Under the stewardship of Cristian Chivu, the Nerazzurri now await the victor of the clash between Atalanta and Lazio in the Rome showpiece scheduled for next month. The other semi-final remains on a knife-edge following a pulsating 2-2 draw in the first leg.

Sučić’s late intervention broke Como hearts, ending their quest for a maiden Coppa Italia final. The club, which was languishing in the third tier as recently as 2019 before being acquired by tobacco giants Djarum, came agonizingly close to a historic feat.

The result keeps Inter’s pursuit of a domestic "double" firmly on track. With a commanding 12-point cushion over Milan and Napoli and only five rounds remaining, the Serie A title appears all but secured.

"I had a bit of luck, but the most important thing was our character. Como made life extremely difficult for us with their quality," Calhanoğlu told Mediaset. The midfielder’s interview was playfully interrupted by a jubilant Marcus Thuram, who celebrated in tandem with the home support.

"The Scudetto and the Cup are our objectives. We need to wrap up the league title as quickly as possible," he added.

Buoyed by over 4,000 travelling fans who made the short trip across Lombardy, Como broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Martin Baturina clinically dispatched an Ignace Van Der Brempt cross.

The visitors dealt what looked to be a knockout blow just two minutes after the restart. Captain Lucas Da Cunha, a mainstay since Como’s days in Serie B, latched onto a pinpoint Nico Paz assist to beat goalkeeper Josep Martinez, leaving Inter reeling.

The fightback commenced in the 69th minute. Calhanoğlu halved the deficit with a deflected effort, galvanising the San Siro crowd and sparking a period of relentless pressure that eventually broke Como’s resolve.

In the 86th minute, Calhanoğlu made a rare foray into the heart of the box to power home a header from a Sučić delivery. Moments later, the roles were reversed: the number 20 turned provider for the young Croatian, who completed the turnaround and kept Inter’s double dream alive.

Petar Sučić

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