Juventus vs. Lazio: Final score 2-1, Juventus lifts the Coppa Italia trophy after extra time

Juventus have done the double, capping their fourth straight Serie A title with an impressive Coppa Italia win. Lazio put up one hell of a fight, scoring first and forcing extra time, but eventually just ran out of time and options, falling to Italy’s giants and a 2-1 defeat as the bianconeri climbed to the winner’s podium.

That snapped Juventus awake, and they roared back quickly, knocking Lazio’s defense off-kilter and forcing them into desperation mode. That earned Juventus a free kick in a dangerous area, and of course, who else but Giorgio Chiellini found himself on the end of it. Juve’s vice captain is a raging bull when he’s allowed to attack set pieces, and it was little surprise when he was the man getting the ball and hammering it home.

Things stayed frenetic for a short time after that, with both sides looking for a second goal, but things ground to a much slower pace by the half hour mark. The match stayed that way for the rest of the first half and much of the second as well, until the clock winding down on regulation forced both sides to push forward more aggressively again.

Juventus’ best chance of the second half came with just minutes left to go, when substitute Roberto Pereyra got into the box and fired the ball across the six-yard box, but found no one waiting. Juventus managed to keep the ball and re-set, with Andrea Pirlo lofting a ball over the top for Alessandro Matri, who was free behind the defense and fired home -- but was flagged offside. The call was very close; in live TV action it looked as though he was slightly off, but replays made it look like Matri was even with Lazio’s deepest defender, Stefan De Vrij.

That doomed the match to extra time, though Carlos Tevez came awfully close to finding a winner in stoppage time when he grazed the top of the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the box. Despite the controversy over the offside decision, the match going to an extra half hour of play seemed like a fair result based on what happened on the pitch. The match was even, if not always terribly exciting, and taking some more time to unravel a clear winner just seemed right.

Things got off to a chaotic start, with Filip Djordjevic striking a shot that rang off both posts before popping free, leaving Lazio fans grabbing their heads in shock and disbelief. That shock quickly turned to grief, because mere moments later it was Matri again bursting through Lazio’s defense in the middle of the box to fire home, but this time the offside flag couldn’t save Lazio.

Congratulations to Juventus, who definitely earned their Coppa Italia title in this battle with Lazio. It was a well-fought match, and now Juventus will look toward Berlin and their Champions League title bout with Barcelona next month.

Goals: Chiellini (11’), Matri (97’)

Goals: Radu (4’)

1. Lazio defended against Carlos Tevez very well

Juventus’ most dangerous man has frequently won matches almost on his own this season, so Lazio had to find a way to keep Tevez at bay. Of course, many other teams have tried and failed to do just that, but Lazio actually pulled it off on Wednesday. They managed to starve Tevez of service and kept him away from more dangerous areas quite effectively, leaving the Argentine star frustrated and aggravated, effectively taking him out of the match and Juventus’ best goal threat with him. Shame that didn’t work out against Alessandro Matri, but no one is perfect.

2. Juventus lacked their normal surety, but won anyways

Under normal circumstances, you would expect Juventus to roll all over Lazio. That’s what they did in their two league matches this season, bludgeoning the Aquile with their superior talent and forcing them to roll over. That didn’t happen today, thanks in large part to Juventus just seeming a little ... off for most of the match. They weren’t as sharp or as certain as normal, lacking that edge that normally carries them through games with their better Italian opponents. They’re a good enough side that they found a way to win without it, though, but it’s still a little concerning that they seemed so unfocused for much of a cup final.

3. The Champions League final now means so much more

Juventus are sitting on a double, having already won Serie A and now holding the Coppa Italia crown. With the Champions League final looming, they now have a shot at a treble, one of the crowning achievements in world football. Their opponents, Barcelona, have also already won their league, and based on the strength of their opponent in the Copa del Rey, a double of their own is a virtual guarantee. That means that whoever wins the Champions League final doesn’t just win Europe’s top competition, but they also complete a treble, making this a rare and historic matchup.