Lazio reached the Coppa Italia final after a dramatic penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Edoardo Motta saving four attempts against Atalanta. The tie ended 3-3 on aggregate after a 1-1 second leg draw, and Lazio then edged the shootout 2-1 to secure a meeting with Inter.

Motta, aged 21, only joined Lazio in January from Serie B side Reggiana, yet delivered under intense pressure. The goalkeeper denied Gianluca Scamacca with a key save deep into stoppage time, pushing away a close-range header that would have sent Atalanta through before penalties.

During the shootout, Motta saved penalties from Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta, Mario Pasalic and Charles de Ketelaere. Danilo Cataldi hit the post with his effort, but Motta’s interventions ensured Lazio progressed. Earlier in the match, Alessio Romagnoli volleyed in for Lazio before Pasalic equalised, leaving the second leg level at 1-1.

Key incidents shaped the contest before the shootout. Atalanta thought Ederson had scored, but the goal was cancelled after a VAR review. Officials ruled that Motta already had both hands on the ball when Ederson challenged, so the effort was disallowed, increasing Atalanta’s frustration.

After the final whistle, Motta spoke about the performance but chose not to reveal technical details of the preparations. The goalkeeper will now prepare for a Coppa Italia final against Inter next month, after stepping straight into high-pressure matches soon after arriving from Reggiana.

There are secrets, but we are live on television, so it’s better to keep them hidden!hetold Sport Mediaset. I hope to win games earlier, but we’ll be ready for penalties, too. The older players give me so much advice and are reassuring. I’m emotional, I’m sorry. I thank everyone, honestly, from those who know me best to the fans and everyone.

Midfielder Danilo Cataldi underlined how Lazio’s mentality across the season helped the team survive difficult moments, including this tense semi-final. Cataldi had missed in the shootout but still highlighted Motta’s display, stressing how quickly the goalkeeper adapted after stepping up from Serie B into a semi-final.

We knew it would be a tough game, as Atalanta are such a strong team with quality players, even off the bench, the midfielder said.Being able to suffer was our strength this season, to grit our teeth and get through difficult times. Motta is a great lad, he came from Serie B, he was thrown straight into the mix, but he handled it like a pro. He’s fantastic.

Atalanta, who had rotated quality options from the bench, were unhappy with the refereeing decisions. Head coach Raffaele Palladino did not appear before the media, leaving sporting director Luca Percassi to reflect on the match and particularly the VAR call that cancelled Ederson’s finish.

When faced with a very good performance from the team, there is an evident error on the goal disallowed for Ederson,Percassi told Sport Mediaset. There was more than one error from the referee, and that is a real pity, because a fully deserved qualification was thrown away by a key incident that inevitably had a big impact on the game. An error of this kind is not justifiable when there is so much at stake, and we have so many instruments at the disposal of the referees. It leaves a really bitter taste in the mouth to see this happen.

The semi-final leaves Lazio celebrating a place in the Coppa Italia final and Atalanta reflecting on missed chances and a disputed VAR decision. Motta’s penalty saves, Romagnoli’s volley, Pasalic’s leveller and Ederson’s chalked-off goal together shaped a tense tie that was decided from twelve yards.