Mihajlovic seals cup win for Inter

Inter ended a 16-year wait for a domestic honour last night when they won the Italian Cup, beating 10-man Roma 1-0 in the second leg of the final to secure a 3-0 aggregate win.

A free-kick from Serbian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, which flew into the net after being pushed on to the post by Roma keeper Gianluca Curci, sealed Inter's victory in the 52nd minute after a scrappy first half.

Roma had their Argentine defender Leandro Cufre sent off for a second booking in the 65th minute.

Inter, who won Sunday's first leg in Rome 2-0 with two goals from Brazil striker Adriano, were rarely in trouble despite the absence of several players, including Adriano, on national team duty in the Confederations Cup.

With captain Francesco Totti below his best, Roma created little and Inter always looked the more likely to score with Nigerian Obafemi Martins proving a constant threat.

Martins had a penalty appeal turned down in the 33rd minute after he tumbled under a challenge from Curci at the end of a pacy solo run through the Roma defence.

Mihajlovic went close with a free kick just before the break but, after the former Lazio defender had put Inter ahead, the only threat on either goal was a header from Inter's Argentine forward Julio Ricardo Cruz which looped just over the crossbar.

Despite the defeat, Roma will still qualify for the UEFA Cup as Inter will feature in the Champions League.

Inter's last major domestic honour was an Italian league title victory in 1989, although the club has since won the UEFA Cup on three occasions during the intervening time.

Third success for Mancini

The Cup win was the third as a coach for Inter's Roberto Mancini, who previously won the competition when in charge of Fiorentina and Lazio.

The only other coach to have won the Italian Cup with three different clubs is Mancini's mentor, England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson who triumphed with Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio.