MILAN, June 16: Inter Milan ended a 16-year wait for a domestic honour on Wednesday when they lifted the Italian Cup, beating 10-man AS Roma 1-0 in the second leg of the final to secure a 3-0 aggregate win.

A free-kick from Serbian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, which flew into the net after being pushed on to the post by Roma keeper Gianluca Curci, sealed Inter’s victory in the 52nd minute after a scrappy first half.

Roma had their Argentine defender Leandro Cufre sent off for a second booking in the 65th minute.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini, delighted to have picked up a trophy in his first season with the club, paid tribute to owner Massimo Moratti, who has spent heavily with little return in recent seasons.

Inter, who won Sunday’s first leg in Rome 2-0 with two goals from Brazil striker Adriano, were rarely in trouble despite the absence of several players, including Adriano, on national team duty in the Confederations Cup.

With captain Francesco Totti below his best, Roma created little and Inter always looked the more likely to score with Nigerian Obafemi Martins proving a constant threat.

Martins had a penalty appeal turned down in the 33rd minute after he tumbled under a challenge from Curci at the end of a pacy solo run through the Roma defence.

Mihajlovic, the all-time top scorer from free-kicks in Serie A, went close with a dead-ball effort just before the break.—Reuters