Matteo Pessina scored twice as Atalanta knocked holders Napoli out of the Coppa Italia with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday to set up a final against Juventus

Matteo Pessina scored twice as Atalanta knocked holders Napoli out of the Coppa Italia with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday to set up a final against Juventus.

A goalless draw in the first leg of the semi-final left the tie on a knife edge, but the hosts raced into a commanding early lead as Duvan Zapata smashed in an unstoppable shot and Pessina swept home the second inside the opening 16 minutes.

Napoli came to life after the break and pulled one back through Hirving Lozano before Pessinaas dinked finish 12 minutes from time left the visitors hopes of a successful Cup defence in tatters. 

Atalanta have won the Coppa Italia once in their history, in 1962-63, and finished as runners-up on three occasions, most recently in 2018-19.

They will face Italian champions Juventus, who have won the Cup a record 13 times, in the final.

Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso faced increasing pressure ahead of the game after a Serie A defeat by mid-table Genoa left his side with two wins in their last seven games in all competitions – and that will crank up now. 

He said afterwards, when asked if the final against Juventus was the ‘last resort’: I don’t know, you have to ask the club.I am the captain of the boat, when things go badly they are at the expense of the captain. 

‘I cannot think of this as the penultimate or last resort – I just have to work and I have to be able to trust.’

<div class="art-ins mol-factbox sport" data-version="2" id="mol-a6888a50-6bde-11eb-add3-9185de3a2481" website 3-1 Napoli: Gasperini&apos;s side to face Juventus in final