ROME, Jan 4: Romelu Lukaku and Paulo Dybala each scored and Roma came back from a goal down to beat Cremonese 2-1 on Wednesday and set up a derby with Lazio in the Italian Cup quarterfinals.
The Serie B team had eliminated Roma in the quarterfinals last season and it looked like it might be a repeat when Frank Tsadjout put Cremonese ahead late in the first half.
But Dybala came on after halftime and set up Lukaku’s score before converting a penalty five minutes from time. Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini had hit the crossbar midway through the first half. The derby with Lazio will be played next week, with Lazio having eliminated Genoa last month.
JOVIC SCORES A BRACE
Luka Jović scored two goals to help AC Milan beat Cagliari 4-1 in the Italian Cup on Tuesday.
Milan has won the Italian Cup five times but it last lifted the trophy in 2003 and hasn’t reached the final since 2018. The Rossoneri will face either Atalanta or Sassuolo in the quarterfinals.
Milan coach Stefano Pioli was under pressure after a poor run that had seen his team eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage. The Rossoneri also had a lengthy injury list and rested a number of star players — starting with four teenagers — but hadn’t lost to Cagliari at San Siro since 1997. Jović opened the scoring in the 29th minute following a delightful assist from Théo Hernandez and the duo combined again shortly before halftime.
The two goals took Jović’s tally to five in his past six matches. It took the Serbia forward until December to score his first goal for Milan after joining from Fiorentina at the start of the season.
Teenager Chaka Traorè extended Milan’s lead early in the second half, with his third Rossoneri goal in his first start for the team.
Rafael Leão capped a great night for Milan in stoppage time, shortly after Paolo Azzi netted a consolation for Cagliari. (AP)
