McKennie's Header Couldn't Stop Inter's Late Heartbreak

On This Day in 2022, the American's First Goal in Months Proved Futile as Juventus Surrendered the Supercoppa in Extra Time

Weston McKennie had just begun finding rhythm in his second season with Juventus in 2021. Then came the international break in September and with it, humiliation—dropped from the United States squad for breaking COVID-19 protocols by bringing a guest to his hotel room before a crucial World Cup qualifier against Canada.

Yet by October, McKennie had quietly rebuilt his standing, contributing goals in consecutive defeats to Sassuolo and Hellas Verona in late October. In November, he scored the second goal in a dominant win over Mexico in Cincinnati in World Cup Qualifying—restoring his reputation with Gregg Berhalter's side. At club level, however, he remained on a concerning drought. Nearly three months had passed since his last goal for Juventus, and the Bianconeri desperately needed contributions from every corner as they struggled through a turbulent campaign.

The Italian Super Cup offered an unexpected lifeline. While Inter Milan entered the San Siro clash on January 12 riding a 12-match unbeaten streak and sitting 11 points clear atop Serie A, Juventus arrived with the momentum of a different sort. Their astonishing comeback against Roma—three goals in seven minutes to steal victory at the Olimpico—had injected belief into a side that otherwise appeared destined for a trophyless season. The Supercoppa represented Juventus' most realistic path to silverware, though it came at a cost. Federico Chiesa's season-ending knee injury in that Roma match had robbed them of their most dangerous attacking weapon, while suspensions ruled out Juan Cuadrado and Matthijs de Ligt. Even goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny sat on the bench, having only recently completed his second COVID-19 vaccination dose under new protocols that restricted his contact with teammates.

Inter dominated the opening exchanges, creating multiple chances inside ten minutes that should have put the match beyond doubt. Nicolò Barella went down under a challenge from Giorgio Chiellini, appealing for a penalty that was waved away after a brief VAR check. Samir Handanović grew so bored in the Inter goal that he resorted to jumping jacks in his own half to stay warm on the frigid Milanese night. The crowd, limited to half capacity by pandemic restrictions, sensed an avalanche.

Then, against the run of play, McKennie delivered. Juventus swung a series of crosses into the Inter area, each one cleared but not far enough. When Álvaro Morata floated the ball back toward the penalty spot in the 25th minute, McKennie timed his run perfectly, rising above his marker to nod a header into the far corner. It was his first club goal since October 30, his first meaningful contribution in months, and it silenced the home supporters who had been growing increasingly confident.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes. Mattia De Sciglio, attempting to clear under pressure, failed to notice Edin Džeko charging in behind him and clattered into the Inter forward. Lautaro Martínez stepped up and hammered the penalty into the top corner, restoring parity before halftime and ensuring the match would be decided over the long haul.

The second half turned cautious, both managers unwilling to risk their players with Serie A commitments looming. Federico Bernardeschi fired narrowly wide moments after the restart, while Denzel Dumfries' header crashed against the woodwork after an hour, Mattia Perin somehow palming it onto the post. The match drifted into extra time for the first time in an Italian Super Cup since 2016, with both sides visibly tiring as the clock ticked toward 120 minutes.

Penalties loomed. Players bent over with their hands on their knees. The half-capacity crowd had gone quiet, bracing for the lottery of spot kicks. Then, catastrophically, Alex Sandro misjudged a hopeful cross, attempting to chest the ball back to his goalkeeper but succeeding only in presenting it directly to Matteo Darmian. The Inter substitute flicked it forward for Alexis Sánchez, who fired home in the 120th+1 minute. The San Siro erupted. The entire Inter bench stormed the pitch to mob the Chilean in the corner. Juventus players stood frozen, devastated by a defensive error that had cost them their best chance at silverware.

For McKennie, the goal offered only bitter consolation. He had broken his drought on the biggest domestic stage available, delivered when his team needed him, and still finished empty-handed. Inter claimed their sixth Super Cup triumph and first since 2010, while Juventus trudged back to Turin with nothing but regrets about what might have been.

The loss proved prophetic. Six weeks later, during a Champions League round of 16 clash with Villarreal, McKennie suffered a broken metatarsal following a challenge from Pervis Estupiñán. The injury ended his season prematurely, forcing him to watch from the sidelines as Juventus stumbled through the spring without their dynamic American midfielder. The header against Inter—clinical and well-taken in the moment—had been his final goal of a campaign that promised much but delivered only frustration, decided in the cruelest fashion by a substitute's late intervention and a defender's catastrophic misjudgment.