Third-tier Alessandria will face Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, after eliminating Spezia.
The Grigi have actually reached this stage once before, in 1936 – when they beat Milan 1-0 thanks to a goal from Aldo Croce.
Spezia, who knocked out Roma in the last round, are in Serie B and welcomed Lega Pro side Alessandria, who had already defeat top-flight opponents Palermo and Genoa
Former Napoli and Torino forward Emmanuele Calaiò started up-front for the home team, partnered by Brazilian Nene.
Third-tier Alessandria will face Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, after eliminating Spezia.
The Grigi have actually reached this stage once before, in 1936 – when they beat Milan 1-0 thanks to a goal from Aldo Croce.
Spezia, who knocked out Roma in the last round, are in Serie B and welcomed Lega Pro side Alessandria, who had already defeat top-flight opponents Palermo and Genoa
Former Napoli and Torino forward Emmanuele Calaiò started up-front for the home team, partnered by Brazilian Nene.
Michele Marconi, formerly of Atalanta and Venezia was the man tasked with firing the third-tier side to the last four.
The hosts took the lead on 20 minutes, when Vedran Celjak almost ripped the shirt off Nene’s back from a corner.
Calaiò stepped up to take the spot-kick, and made no mistake from 12 yards.
The Lega Pro side could have been level just four minutes later, but a fantastic tackle from Leandro Chichizola took the ball off the toes of Manuel Fischnaller.
Alessandria tried to force an equaliser, but were repeatedly caught offside, and the Aquilotti went in with a 1-0 lead at the break.
Spezia goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola had to be alert to tip a mis-hit cross over the bar just after the restart, as well as gathering a viciously-hit Nicolò Sperotto effort.
Grigi captain Massimo Loviso was next to try his luck, sending a free-kick wide of Chichizola’s post.
It should have been 2-0 with 62 minutes on the clock, but Calaiò struck his effort down the middle of the goal after a cut-back, and Gianmarco Vannucchi got across brilliantly to save with his legs, having looked as though he was stranded at the front post.
At the other end, Chichizola was at full strength to tip a Marconi header over the bar.
The Lega Pro side were battling valiantly, but it appeared it would all be for nothing.
Substitute Riccardo Bocalon had other ideas though, springing the offside trap and finishing low across the goalkeeper.
There were five minutes of time added on, and Bocalon put his side in dream land after two of those minutes, sweeping home a cross to put the third-tier outfit into the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.
Spezia 1-2 Alessandria
Calaiò 20 (S) Bocalon 83 92 (A)
Spezia: Chichizola; De Col, Valentini, Terzi, Migliore; Situm, Canadjija, Pulzetti, Ciurria (Kvrzic, 71); Calaiò, Nene (Catellani, 75)
Alessandria: Vannucchi; Celjak, Sosa, Sirri, Sperotto; Branca, Loviso (Bocalon, 70), Nicco; Marras, Marconi (Vitofrancesco, 86), Fischnaller (Boniperti, 95)