MILAN (AFP) – Fiorentina saw off nine-man Napoli 5-2 in extra time on Thursday to reach the Italian Cup quarter-finals, while AC Milan also needed 30 added minutes to get past Genoa.
It is the eighth time in 10 seasons that Fiorentina have made the Cup quarters.
Dusan Vlahovic, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Florence, put the visitors ahead with his 19th goal of the season four minutes before half-time, as the game burst into life.
Napoli winger Dries Mertens levelled just three minutes later, before Fiorentina goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski was sent off for a cynical block on Elif Elmas as the Macedonian looked to take advantage of a defensive mix-up.
But the 10 men restored their lead in the 58th minute as Italy left-back Cristiano Biraghi pounced on a rebound inside the box to score.
Napoli also had a man dismissed, as substitute Hirving Lozano was shown a straight red card after a VAR review.
The hosts’ tempers boiled over further in stoppage time, with another sub, Fabian Ruiz, given his marching orders for a second booking.
But just seconds later, Napoli’s Andrea Petagna slotted in a remarkable equaliser to force extra time.
