MILAN, Jan 29, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – AC Milan will meet Juventus in the Italian
Cup semi-finals after beating Torino 4-2 in an enthralling encounter on
Tuesday to continue their Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired revival.
Extra-time goals from substitutes Hakan Calhanoglu and Ibrahimovic sealed
passage into the last four for a Milan side who have been reawoken by the
return of the Swede last month.
They will be relishing the tie with the Italian champions, who thumped
Roma 3-0 in their quarter-final match last week.
The superstar striker’s second goal since returning to Milan came on a
night the club honoured Milan fan Kobe Bryant — who spent much of his
childhood in Italy — with the message “Legends never die” on the San Siro
big screens.
Milan, who are still down in eighth in Serie A, have now won five on the
bounce in all competitions and are unbeaten in their six matches since the
end of the winter break.
It was Calhanoglu who saved Milan’s skin just after coming off the bench,
as the Turk’s deflected shot in the dying seconds of normal time took the
match to extra time after Torino goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu had held the
hosts at bay.
The hosts had dominated most of the match but had found themselves behind
to two Gleison Bremer goals with 19 minutes left after Giacomo Bonaventura
had given Milan the lead in the 12th minute.
Ibrahimovic missed two chances to snatch the tie after Calhanoglu
levelled, first somehow shooting over the bar from inches out, then seeing
his smart shot well pushed away by Sirigu.
Sirigu was on top form again in extra time when he pulled off a superb
double save, first charging out to stop Theo Hernandez before quickly getting
up to keep out the rebound.
However he couldn’t stop Calhanoglu putting his side ahead early in the
second half of extra-time, his powerful shot escaping the Italian stopper’s
grasp before Ibrahimovic slotted home Leao’s neat lay-off two minutes later,
ending Torino’s resistance.