Marko Arnautovic fired Inter into the lead with a breathtaking volley in their 2-0 victory over Lazio in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on Tuesday night. The Austrian forward’s strike set the tone for the Nerazzurri, who sealed their spot in the semi-finals with a second goal from a Hakan Çalhanoğlu penalty. Now, Simone Inzaghi’s side will face city rivals AC Milan in a two-legged showdown in April.
Arnautovic’s goal was one to remember—arguably among the finest of the tournament. Federico Dimarco’s corner was only partially cleared, and as the ball dropped to the edge of the box, the Inter striker met it with a stunning full-volley finish that left the Lazio defense stunned.
However, controversy surrounded the goal, as there were two clear infractions that should have led to it being disallowed.
Why Arnautovic’s Goal Should Not Have Stood
First, Denzel Dumfries was seen holding Lazio’s Nicolo Rovella on the edge of the box just before Arnautovic struck his volley—a foul that could have warranted a free kick for the Biancocelesti.
More crucially, Stefan de Vrij was positioned in an offside spot when the shot was taken, directly obstructing the view of Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas. By the letter of the law, this interference should have led to the goal being ruled out.
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport was scathing in its assessment of the officiating, branding it a “disaster” and a “serious oversight” for failing to call the infractions. The criticism extended to VAR as well, with the paper arguing that its failure to intervene was an even bigger mistake.
