Recapping the Coppa Italia Round of 16
Cesena put their league woes behind them as they beat Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium; Lorenzo Pellegrini tapped in from close range after just four minutes to give the Neroverdi an early lead.
Sassuolo wasted a host of chances and the game should have been out of Cesena’s reach when with ten minutes left the Cavallucci Marini won a rather dubious penalty, Camillo Ciano stepped up and converted to bring parity to the game. Sassuolo pushed to find a winner and a Sassuolo player did score, but bizarrely it was Karim Laribi who is on loan at Cesena from Sassuolo, he finished off a classic counter attacking move to send the Serie B strugglers through.
In the San Siro Inter gave away a two goal lead before ending Bologna’s challenge in extra time. Jeison Murillo gave the Nerazzurri a spectacular lead, Joao Mario floated in a corner in the 33rd minute and the Columbian defender scored with a fantastic bicycle kick. Six minutes later Mario was provider again as Inter broke, the Portuguese midfielder slide a pass into the path of Rodrigo Palacio to double the lead.
Just before half time and Bologna halved the deficit when a Blerim Dzemaili shot took a deflection of Geoffrey Kondogbia. Palacio and Eder both had chances to restore the two goal lead but in the 73rd minute Godfrey Donsah made the game level when he headed in an Adam Masina cross.
Extra time arrived and the game was decided in the 98th minute when a Antonio Candreva shot took a slight deflection of Marios Oikonomou which was enough to deceive goalkeeper Angelo da Costa and give Inter the win.
Lazio also gave away a two goal but avoided extra time as they beat Genoa 4-2 in the Stadio Olimpico. Felipe Anderson delicately placed a pass into the path of Filip Djordjevic who put the home side ahead. Anderson then had a poor penalty saved before Wesley Hoedt scored with a great shot from outside the box.
Former Lazio striker Goran Pandev was instrumental in making sure Genoa went in at half time on level terms, his pass to Maurico Pinilla who then curled a beautiful shot into the net gave Genoa some hope. Then Pandev levelled when Luca Rigoni’s shot fell into the path of the Macedonian striker who coolly converted.
Second half goals from Sergej Milinković-Savić, with an excellent volley then Ciro Immobile who struck home from just inside the box proved to be enough for the Biancocelesti.
Roma hosted Sampdoria and won with consummate ease with Belgium midfielder Radja Nainggolan the stand out performer.
Roma started the game well and Sampdoria had the crossbar to thank as a Lerandro Paredes shot rattled off it with the game still goalless, this was only a temporary reprieve as Nainggolan siezed upon a defensive error before hitting a sumptuous volley to give the Giallorossi a half time lead.
In the second half Roma reinforced their dominance as first Edin Dzeko scored just two minutes in, Dzeko then turned provider when his long pass found Stephan El Shaarawy who scored with a delicate lob.
Nainggolan added his second to complete his fine performance in the 90th minute when he nodded in a cross from Diego Perotti.
@Neale_Mark