AP, Milan :
AC Milan is through to the Italian Cup quarterfinals after winning 2-0 at 10-man Sampdoria on Thursday, Rossoneri coach Sinisa Mihajlovic’s former team.
M’Baye Niang broke the deadlock five minutes after the break, beating the offside trap to run onto Carlos Bacca’s through-ball and fire into the bottom left corner.
Bacca sealed the result in stoppage time, thanks to an assist from Keisuke Honda, after Samp had missed clearcut chances to level.
Sampdoria’s hopes of a comeback started to fade when defender Ervin Zukanovic was dismissed in the 64th minute for picking up two yellow cards in a matter of seconds – having said something to the referee, moments after being booked for a foul.
Milan will fancy its chances of reaching the final. If it beats relegation-threatened Carpi, it will face the winner of the match between the two lower-division sides left in the competition – Alessandria and Spezia.
Earlier, Lazio came from behind to beat 10-man Udinese 2-1 to book a quarterfinal tie against Juventus – a rematch of last season’s final.
Udinese scored a stunning opener in the 67th minute. Panagiotis Kone flicked up Giovanni Pasquale’s cross from the left before swiveling and volleying into the far top corner.
The visitors’ lead lasted just three minutes before Alessandro Matri levelled with Udinese down to 10 men after substitute Rodrigo Aguirre had left the pitch for treatment on an injury – shortly after coming off the bench.
Aguirre tried to play on but had to admit defeat, leaving Udinese at a numerical disadvantage for the rest of the match as its three substitutions had already been made.
Lazio scored the winner 11 minutes from time. Udinese’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Alex Meret did well to deny Abdoulay Konko but could do nothing about Danilo Cataldi’s header from point-blank range – although the Lazio midfielder appeared to be offside.
AC Milan is through to the Italian Cup quarterfinals after winning 2-0 at 10-man Sampdoria on Thursday, Rossoneri coach Sinisa Mihajlovic’s former team.
M’Baye Niang broke the deadlock five minutes after the break, beating the offside trap to run onto Carlos Bacca’s through-ball and fire into the bottom left corner.
Bacca sealed the result in stoppage time, thanks to an assist from Keisuke Honda, after Samp had missed clearcut chances to level.
Sampdoria’s hopes of a comeback started to fade when defender Ervin Zukanovic was dismissed in the 64th minute for picking up two yellow cards in a matter of seconds – having said something to the referee, moments after being booked for a foul.
Milan will fancy its chances of reaching the final. If it beats relegation-threatened Carpi, it will face the winner of the match between the two lower-division sides left in the competition – Alessandria and Spezia.
Earlier, Lazio came from behind to beat 10-man Udinese 2-1 to book a quarterfinal tie against Juventus – a rematch of last season’s final.
Udinese scored a stunning opener in the 67th minute. Panagiotis Kone flicked up Giovanni Pasquale’s cross from the left before swiveling and volleying into the far top corner.
The visitors’ lead lasted just three minutes before Alessandro Matri levelled with Udinese down to 10 men after substitute Rodrigo Aguirre had left the pitch for treatment on an injury – shortly after coming off the bench.
Aguirre tried to play on but had to admit defeat, leaving Udinese at a numerical disadvantage for the rest of the match as its three substitutions had already been made.
Lazio scored the winner 11 minutes from time. Udinese’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Alex Meret did well to deny Abdoulay Konko but could do nothing about Danilo Cataldi’s header from point-blank range – although the Lazio midfielder appeared to be offside.
