Juventus edge AC Milan in extra time to clinch Cup semis

ROME (dpa) – Mirko Vucinic came on and scored an extra-time winner as Juventus edged AC Milan 2-1 Wednesday to advance to the semifinals of the Italian Cup.

Milan did their best in the early minutes, with captain Massimo Ambrosini forcing an early save from Marco Storari, a veteran filling in for Gianluigi Buffon in cup games.

The ex-Milan custodian was stunned on six minutes, when Stephan El Shaarawy drilled a low shot into the left corner as Leonardo Bonucci missed a desperate clearance.

AC Milan’s forward Giampaolo Pazzini (front) challanges for the ball with Juventus’ midfielder of Chile Arturo Vidal during their Italian Cup match. AFP

The hosts’ rallying efforts began two minutes later as Alessandro Matri missed a header off a cross from Sebastian Giovinco, who on 12 minutes curled a free kick above the wall to leave Marco Amelia standing.

Amelia on 31 minutes did better on another nasty free-kick from the diminutive striker, who missed the target two minutes later off a deep Matri feed and fired feebly at the start of the second half.

Giovinco gave way to Vucinic on 65 minutes as Milan brought on young Frenchman M’Baye Niang, who nodded wide three minutes from regulation time at the brimming Juventus Stadium.

The Montenegro forward flicked past Amelia five minutes into extra time after Paolo De Ceglie, also a substitute, controlled a defence-splitting pass from Emanuele Giaccherini and set him up in

the box.

Riccardo Montolivo and El Shaarawy had no luck from the distance, and Niang failed to threaten from close range before Amelia bravely blocked a drive from Mauricio Isla and Bakaye Traore had a last-gasp effort saved.

Juve had the better of Milan also last year in the semi-finals. Their next opponents are Lazio, who beat guests Catania 3-0 on Tuesday in Rome.

“It is always a tough game between two great teams, therefore the tension was very high,” Juve coach Antonio Conte said. “We used many players who do not play very often and they did well.

“We wanted to advance. This is a great reply from the players to the defeat (2-1 at home to 10-man Sampdoria) of the past weekend.”