Bologna ended their 51-year wait for silverware in spectacular fashion at the Stadio Olimpico as Lewis Ferguson hoisted the trophy into the Roman night sky after a Dan Ndoye strike sank AC Milan.
The winger’s lashed finish early in the second half proved decisive in a tense tussle, and saw captain Ferguson become an iconic figure in the Rossoblu’s storied history.
Bologna had paid tribute to their last trophy-winning side, the Coppa Italia champions of 1973-74, with a huge banner before kick-off, challenging the current squad to live up to their memory.
They did just that with a controlled performance in which they showed few of the nerves expected on such a historic occasion.
It marked a dream climax to a difficult season for Ferguson, who had spent the year battling back from an ACL injury before being disrupted by muscular problems.
However, the Hamilton-born midfielder’s sensational success story in Emilia-Romagna hit new heights as he added a trophy to a list of accolades that already include a Serie A midfielder of the year award, Champions League qualification and a club record points total.
Ferguson celebrates with the Italian Cup after a memorable night in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico
The Bologna skipper shared trophy-hoisting duty with Lorenzo di Silvestre and Ricardo Orsolini
Swiss forward Dan Ndoye’s goal after 53 minutes was enough to secure a hard-fought victory
For Milan, the defeat was the latest nightmare in a season of struggle, with Sergio Conceicao’s side potentially staring down the barrel at a year without European football after Bologna claimed a Europa League spot with their victory.
Organisers had not cut back on the cup final pageantry, with a light show and tricolour fireworks accompanying a fleeting appearance from trophy-bearer Roberto Baggio before kick-off.
Once the whistle blew, the game proved every bit as lively as the pre-match entertainment, Alex Jimenez threatening for Milan early on before Ferguson curled a shot wide and a Santiago Castro glancing header testing Mike Maignan.
Cat-like reflexes from Bologna goalkeeper Lukas Skorupski kept a breathless game level in the 10th minute when he made two point-blank saves in a row before the ball was scrambled to safety.
From there, the game finally settled, Ferguson seeing plenty of the ball as Bologna dictated possession and Milan looking to hit on the break.
The Scot found himself in trouble at the end of the half when an ill-timed challenge on Rafael Leao earned him a booking and a bloody nose from catching a stray boot.
Whatever Vincenzo Italiano said to his players at the break, it clearly had an effect, as an energised Bologna took the lead five minutes into the second half.
Ferguson gets to the ball ahead of Milan’s former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Ferguson though as he took a boot to the face from Rafael Leao
Sporting a bloody nose, Ferguson and the Portugal forward exchanged words after the incident
Switzerland international Ndoye latched on to a loose ball in the box after Riccardo Orsolini was tackled, stepping inside before lashing home a finish in front of the travelling Rossoblu fans.
The subs soon started to roll on, Conceicao making a triple change by introducing Kyle Walker, Joao Felix and Santiago Gimenez at once in hope of a spark, while Italiano responded by shifting to a more conservative back three.
The changes only produced a deadlock that suited Bologna just fine, with Gimenez having one effort that found the arms of Skorupski while Ndoye threatened again at the other end.
When the whistle finally blew, it was euphoria for the underdogs as the long-suffering Bologna fans celebrated a night that will be remembered for generations.
