Bologna Secures First Coppa Italia Final Spot Since 1974 with Convincing Win Over Empoli

Bologna has reached their first Coppa Italia final since their triumph in the 1973/74 season, securing a 2-1 victory at home against Empoli, which saw them triumph 5-1 on aggregate over the two legs.

The home side started strong, virtually sealing the tie within just seven minutes, with Giovanni Fabbian heading the ball into the far bottom corner after connecting with Nikola Moro’s cross at the back post.

Immediately after, Bologna nearly doubled their advantage, but Charalampos Lykogiannis’ shot was tipped over the bar by Jacopo Seghetti from close range.

As the first half progressed, Empoli began to find their rhythm, with Ola Solbakken being particularly dangerous. He narrowly missed scoring on the counter-attack before Federico Ravaglia fumbled a shot after a clever set-piece play.

Before the break, the visitors managed to notch one back through Viktor Kovalenko, who slotted the ball into an empty net after Ravaglia could only parry Solbakken’s initial shot—marking the first goal Bologna conceded in this competition this season.

After the interval, Bologna maintained their dominance, with Nicolò Cambiaghi firing just over the crossbar before Fabbian compelled Seghetti to parry his fierce long-range attempt.

Nicolás Domínguez, who came off the bench, was a lively presence and nearly secured the home victory with an effort that skimmed just over the bar, while Thijs Dallinga—who scored twice in the first leg—also come close, hitting the side-netting in the closing moments.

However, Dallinga made no mistake with his second opportunity, heading Lykogiannis’ cross into the opposite corner, ensuring Bologna’s aggregate win across both legs.

This victory extended Bologna’s unbeaten streak at home to 11 matches across all competitions since the beginning of the year and meant they avoided a third consecutive draw against Empoli this season, setting the stage for a showdown with AC Milan in the final.

Find a match summary here