These two sides locked horns seven weeks after a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico, with La Dea aiming to improve on a sequence of just two wins in their previous 10 games across all competitions heading into this clash.
Despite that poor run, Raffaele Palladino’s men began brightly and were doing most of the early probing here in Bergamo.
Clear-cut chances were at a premium, though, the best of which came when Nicola Zalewski’s shot was deflected wide after Charles De Ketelaere brought down Lorenzo Bernasconi’s ball into the box.
Lazio barely threatened themselves, with their only chance of note coming when Toma Bašić headed well over the target from Mattia Zaccagni’s free-kick.
With so much at stake, it was perhaps unsurprising that both sides mustered only a solitary shot on target between them heading into half time.
Atalanta continued to look the more likely of the two sides to strike first on the night, and were controversially denied an opener just past the hour mark.
Éderson netted from close range, but a VAR review determined that Edoardo Motta already had two hands on the ball when Nikola Krstović picked out the Brazilian.
It was a huge reprieve for the Biancocelesti, who could have easily conceded a penalty in the build-up had Mario Gila been penalised for a handball offence.
Lazio had a handball shout of their own turned down against Giorgio Scalvini before Tijjani Noslin’s left-footed shot went wide, and the Dutchman then had another attempt blocked by Mario Pašalić.
However, the visitors scored what looked to have been the decisive goal of the tie when Alessio Romagnoli converted a brilliant first-time left-footed effort from Zaccagni’s corner.
But Pašalić restored parity a mere two minutes later when Krstović laid the ball into the path of the Croatian to fire a deflected strike past Motta.
The Lazio goalkeeper then made an outstanding save to push Gianluca Scamacca’s header onto the post, as this absorbing contest went to ET.
The road to Rome was looking clearer for Atalanta when Giacomo Raspadori headed the hosts back in front in the 96th minute, but an offside call against Davide Zappacosta in the build-up meant the goal was disallowed.
There was little else to report in a cagey additional 30 minutes, as a nerve-shredding penalty shootout beckoned.
Motta would take centre stage in the shootout, producing a virtuoso display to incredibly make four penalty saves in succession, denying Nuno Tavares, Scamacca, Pašalić and De Ketelaere to send Maurizio Sarri’s men through to the final.
The Biancocelesti will now be hoping to win this competition for an eighth time, and the first since emerging victorious in the 2018/19 campaign, when they face the Nerazzurri on May 13th.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Edoardo Motta (Lazio)