Inter edge Roma in Coppa Italia final

FC Internazionale Milano's hopes of a treble are alive after Diego Milito scored the only goal of the Coppa Italia final against AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Milito's strike, five minutes before the interval, deserved to win any game. Receiving a pass from Thiago Motta midway inside the Roma half, the Argentina forward continued his run surrounded by Giallorossi defenders, powered into the penalty box and sent a blistering right-foot shot across goal into the top corner. Roma had their chances to equalise, with Juan and Mirko Vučinić guilty of notable misses, but their night was summed up when Francesco Totti was sent off two minutes from time.

The evening had begun on a sour note for Inter as the match was just a few minutes old when they lost Wesley Sneijder to a thigh knock. They were already shorn of the injured Lucio but nevertheless made the early running, with Maicon forcing Roma goalkeeper Júlio Sérgio into a difficult save and Milito hitting the back of the net on 17 minutes only for the effort to be ruled offside.

The Giallorossi, two points adrift of Inter in Serie A with two games left, came into their own, Júlio César doing well to prevent Rodrigo Taddei's low cross reaching the lurking Luca Toni and Simone Perrotta twice aiming headers wide of the target from close range. Milito swung the game in the Nerazzurri's favour before the break, but Roma were soon knocking on the door again.

Juan contrived to head over when Júlio César parried a long-range free-kick from substitute Totti into the centre-back's path and, eight minutes from time, Vučinić fired wide with just the Inter No1 to beat. Their disappointment was compounded when Totti saw red after fouling Mario Balotelli, but for Inter dreams of a Coppa Italia, Serie A and UEFA Champions League treble are still on.