STADIO SAN SIRO (Milan) – A Hakan Calhanoglu double spared AC Milan’s blushes as they beat Torino 4-2 after extra time in the Coppa Italia quarter-final.
Giacomo Bonaventura opened the scoring early on, but the Bremer bagged the equaliser just after the half hour, then put the Granata in front with 20 minutes to go.
However, Calhanoglu levelled the game in the final minute to ensure extra time, then put Milan in front with 15 minutes to go in the extended period, before Zlatan Ibrahimovic made sure of the result moments later.
As a result, Milan will take on Juventus in the semi-final of the competition which will be played over two legs.
Prior to the game, the club darkened the Stadio San Siro in tribute to Kobe Bryant, while playing Queen’s ‘Who wants live forever’ over the loudspeaker, with #SempreKobe adorning the advertising boards, before applause rippled from the crowd on the 24th minute of the match.
Legends never die #SempreKobe pic.twitter.com/XkZVozcC6k
— ForzaItalianFootball (@SerieAFFC) January 28, 2020
Milan were first on the scoresheet when Ante Rebic got down the left side and his low cross got all the way the back post for Bonaventura to tap into an empty net.
But somewhat against the run of play, Torino restored parity when a Simone Verdi ball over the top found Bremer in acres of space and he slid the ball under Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.
Just before the break, Milan had the ball in the back of the net again, but it was ruled out for handball by Krzysztof Piatek in the build up. Then a lovely cross by Theo Hernandez was nodded just over by the crossbar by Rade Krunic.
In the second half the tempo slowed, but Milan went close as Alessio Romagnoli headed over from a corner.
With 20 minutes to go, Torino took the lead through Bremer, who, unmarked, nodded home Ola Aina’s cross.
And just as it looked looked like Milan were going to exit the competition, Calhanoglu rifled the ball past Salvatore Sirigu, though it did take a deflection on the way past the goalkeeper.
Moments later Zlatan Ibrahimovic should have put the Rossoneri through, but smashed over the bar from six yards out.
In extra time Calhanoglu should have put Milan in front, but blasted his low shot straight at Sirigu from close range.
Again Sirigu came to Torino’s recuse when Rebic was played in on goal, and one-on-one with the goalkeeper, the Croatian blasted straight into his arms.
However, early in the second half of extra time Calhanoglu got his second when he was set free on the left and blasted home from just inside the penalty area, despite Sirigu getting a touch on the ball.
A minute later Ibrahimovic made sure of the result, side-footing home from eight yards out.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com