Dumfries ‘happy’ with brace, Bastoni and Inter ‘have point to prove’ | OneFootball

Denzel Dumfries was ‘very happy’ with his decisive brace for Inter to beat Atalanta 2-0, while Alessandro Bastoni warns they ‘have something to prove’ against Juventus or Milan in the Supercoppa Final.

It was a hard-fought match at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, decided by a pair of Dumfries strikes in the space of 12 second half minutes.

The Dutchman first acrobatically turned in from six yards on a corner, then blasted another effort in off the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Ederson had got Atalanta back into it, but the goal was disallowed following a long VAR review for the Charles De Ketelaere offside position.

Inevitably, Dumfries was named Man of the Match by the Lega Serie A and got to celebrate the first brace of his playing career.

“I’m very happy with the win tonight, it was a good performance, we controlled the first half too and I am happy to help with two goals. It was a great victory tonight,” Dumfries told Sport Mediaset.

“We are playing well, but we must focus on doing it better every game. We are in a good way and must continue like this.”

Read the Player Ratings for Inter 2-0 Atalanta

Dumfries and Bastoni shine for Inter

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 02: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Italian Super Cup Semi-Final match between FC Internazionale and Atalanta at Al Awwal Park on January 02, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)

Bastoni was the core of the Inter defence, especially as Francesco Acerbi and Benjamin Pavard are out of action through injury.

“We know how difficult it is to play against a side like Atalanta, who close down the spaces and go man for man. You need individual talent in these situations and Denzel gave us that tonight,” said Bastoni.

Atalanta are the current Serie A leaders, although Inter still have a game in hand and could in theory be top of the table by winning that rescheduled trip to Fiorentina.

“Clearly, our objective is to win every game, no matter who we are up against, relying on our own characteristics.”

Now Inter will play either Juventus or Milan in the Supercoppa Final on Monday January 6, so would Bastoni prefer to face the Bianconeri or Rossoneri?

“Let’s say in Serie A we didn’t have our best performances against either of them, so we will have a point to prove whoever we face.”

Inter had been leading twice against Juve only to be pegged back for a 4-4 draw, while their only Serie A defeat so far this season was against Milan.