Juventus” data-scaytid=”1″>Juventus will face Lazio” data-scaytid=”2″>Lazio in the Coppa Italia Semi-Final after Mirko Vucinic secured a 2-1 victory over Milan in extra time.
Juventus will face Lazio in the Coppa Italia Semi-Final after Mirko Vucinic secured a 2-1 victory over Milan in extra time.
There was a last-minute change to the line-ups, as Andrea Pirlo was rested in favour of Under-21 international Luca Marrone. Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe, Giorgio Chiellini, Nicklas Bendtner and the suspended Fabio Quagliarella missed out.
Milan used Urby Emanuelson in a trident attack and were without Robinho, Christian Abbiati, Djamel Mesbah, Mario Yepes, Kevin Constant, Daniele Bonera, Cristian Zapata, Sulley Muntari and Nigel De Jong.
The first chance arrived after three minutes, as Marco Storari fingertipped a Massimo Ambrosini strike out from under the bar.
They had the more aggressive start and took the lead moments later. Giampaolo Pazzini’s dummy let a Kevin-Prince Boateng pull-back from the by-line through for Stephan El Shaarawy to fire into the near bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Juve went very close to an equaliser, as Alessandro Matri’s header whistled just wide with Marco Amelia rooted to the spot.
Sebastian Giovinco did draw the Bianconeri level when he curled a trademark free kick over the wall and into the near top corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.
Philippe Mexes was perhaps fortunate to only get a yellow card for his extremely late, high and cynical challenge on Giovinco on the touchline. Antonio Conte was absolutely furious and had to be calmed down.
A long-range Arturo Vidal effort was accidentally charged down by teammate Matri. Boateng was booked for tripping Emanuele Giaccherini from behind to stop a counter-attack and Amelia fingertipped the resulting Giovinco free kick out from under the bar.
Giovinco should’ve made it 2-1 when he took advantage of Francesco Acerbi’s defensive error to go clear, but blasted wide with only Amelia to beat.
Leonardo Bonucci threw himself at the feet of El Shaarawy to block after Storari’s misplaced clearance. From that corner, Storari grabbed the ball and was then barged over by Mexes, who ran a huge risk of a second yellow card.
Giovinco wasted another chance after the restart when he hit a weak shot at Amelia after a lucky ricochet set him up. Storari also smothered a Boateng solo effort, and Amelia intercepted a Stephan Lichtsteiner pull-back in the six-yard box.
Lichtsteiner was clear on goal and lining up his shot when El Shaarawy sprinted back to defend with a crucial tackle.
Pirlo was introduced for the final stages, but M’Baye Niang went close as he rose to nod a Mattia De Sciglio cross just wide of the far post.
Giaccherini’s shot was deflected off target and Massimo Ambrosini went off with cramp. In stoppages Leonardo Bonucci tripped Bojan for a free kick in the D, but it was touched on for Riccardo Montolivo and charged down, so this Quarter-Final went to extra time.
Juventus took the lead for the first time of the evening with a classic counter-attack. Vucinic allowed a Giaccherini through ball to reach Paolo De Ceglie and the pass back was prodded past the on-rushing Amelia by the Montenegro international.
Storari parried a Montolivo snapshot, then blocked El Shaarawy’s follow-up. Amelia also had to be alert, smothering at the feet of Giaccherini after trapping a cross-field De Ceglie pass.
Niang sprinted past Andrea Barzagli, but his finish was a weak effort into the arms of Storari.
Juve also wasted a golden opportunity, as Vucinic drew two defenders away and rolled into the centre for an unmarked Mauricio Isla, but Amelia performed a crucial one-handed save.
At the 118th minute Niang hit a volley sweetly, but central and it smacked Storari in the chest without the Juve goalkeeper seeming to know much about it.
Moments later Storari was at full stretch to deny another Niang angled drive, then Martin Caceres charged down El Shaarawy’s follow-up.
Juventus 2-1 Milan (aet)
Scorers: El Shaarawy 6 (M), Giovinco 12 (J), Vucinic 95 (J)
Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Barzagli; Lichtsteiner (De Ceglie 84), Vidal, Marrone (Pirlo 77), Giaccherini, Isla; Matri, Giovinco (Vucinic 64)
Milan: Amelia; Abate, Mexes, Acerbi, De Sciglio; Montolivo, Ambrosini (Traore 91), Boateng; Emanuelson (Bojan 70), Pazzini (Niang 70), El Shaarawy
Ref: Mazzoleni