Coppa Italia: penalties fatal for Juventus, Empoli in semifinals
Coppa Italia: fatal penalties for Juventus, Empoli in semifinals
At the Stadium, Empoli, after doing the same to Fiorentina, eliminates Juventus on penalties in the last quarterfinal of the Coppa Italia. The regulation time had ended on’1-1.
There’è immediately a colossal chance for the Bianconeri: Kolo Muani for Nico Gonzalez who all alone in front of Vasquez sends his left footer high. On 20’ Konate sees Perin off the posts and from 30 yards attempts a frankly improbable goal and in fact misses the target.
On 24’ Empoli sensationally took the lead: Maleh receives from Bacci and from outside the box unloads a right-footed, which is not his foot, violent diagonal shot that blows Perin away. At 41’ the Tuscans can also double with Maleh for Konate who shoots weakly with his right hand on Perin who blocks.
No chance for Juve after that after two minutes but Empoli in the first minute of recovery has an even more resounding one: very long postponement by Vasquez, Konate comes alone in front of Perin, he just has to put in the goal but incredibly with his left hand hits the inside far post.
The resumption è has just begun and the guests have another great chance with Maleh, to which Perin deflects the shot into the corner on the dive. At 52’ here comes Vlahovic: a left-footed free kick that Vasquez guesses and deflects two-handed into a corner.
At 57’ Cambiaso loses the ball and Konate devours another time the double: Perin deflects his shot into the corner. Wrong goals, right goals: at 66’ the usual Kolo Muani for Thuram who gets free with his heel and pierces Vasquez who is pierced at the first post.
However, it looks like a’different Juve, more’ lively with the entries of Yildiz and Conceicao for Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez. In 78’ Vlahovic’s header right where there’è Vasquez who blocks, soon after Perin, still decisive, blocks in two times a shot by Esposito, finally on the other side Kolo Muani shoots centrally on Vasquez.
At’85’ Empoli again: Esposito for Kouame who wastes with his left. On the flip side Vlahvicx turns and puts wide with his right. At’86’ the Serbian stretches the ball and Vasquez anticipates him on the way out. The Bianconeri besiege and at 94’ on the development of a corner Yildiz sends his left running shot high.
It goes to penalties: vomincia Vlahovic who sends high, Henderson, Kolo Muani, Kouame, Locatelli and Cacace score, Vasquez parries Yildiz’s shot and Marianucci makes the Empoli fans rejoice, sending the Tuscans for the first time into the semifinals of the Coppa Italia where Bologna awaits them, a success that was already well deserved in the 90 minutes of regulation.
