Inter set up Palermo final

Inter joined Palermo in the Italian Cup final after seeing off Roma 2-1 on aggregate following a 1-1 draw at the San Siro yesterday.

Inter’s top scorer Samuel Eto’o bagged the opening goal of the night, taking his tally for the season in all competitions to 34, before Marco Borriello equalised for the visitors.

Palermo had booked their place in the May 29 final with a 4-3 aggregate success against Milan.

And it was a double celebration for Inter as captain Javier Zanetti played his 1,000th match.

In an uneventful first period, Roma had the better chances.

Borriello fired over from inside the box after a slip from Maicon had let him in. And then Daniele de Rossi met a Simone Perrotta cross on the turn but couldn’t bend the ball inside the post.

There was a visible change of momentum in the second half as Inter hit back.

They took the lead on 58 minutes as Houssine Kharja crossed and Eto’o sent a precise side-foot through Perrotta’s legs and around Doni in the Roma goal.

Inter could have extended their lead when Giampaolo Pazzini determinedly bundled past Juan and John-Arne Riise but Doni made a one-handed save from his fierce shot.

On 72 minutes Milito fashioned a chance as he turned inside a sliding challenge from Nicolas Burdisso but his left- foot finish was weak and Doni saved.

Roma hit back, though, and Mirko Vucinic slipped a pass through to Borriello who shrugged off Lucio and smacked a right foot effort that hit both posts before rebounding to safety.

Full-back Marco Cassetti stung goalkeeper Julio Cesar’s fingers with a shot from the distance before Roma equalised.

Perrotta crossed from the right and Borriello peeled off his marker at the back stick to send a towering header back across goal and in on 84 minutes.

But it was too little too late.