The Hindu : Sport / Football : Palermo beats AC Milan, enters semifinals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 02, 2006

Sport

Sport - Football

Palermo beats AC Milan, enters semifinals

ROME: Mariano Gonzalez scored two goals and set up another on Tuesday as Palermo beat AC Milan 3-0 and advanced to the semifinals of the Italian Cup for the third time in its history.

The Sicilian team, with newly appointed coach Giuseppe Papadopulo on the bench, scored twice in the first 18 minutes of the second-leg quarterfinal, overcoming the advantage Milan had in winning the first leg 1-0 at San Siro last week.

The victory sends Palermo to the semifinals March 22 and April 12 against either Juventus or AS Roma. Roma takes a 3-2 lead into its second-leg quarterfinal with Juventus at Stadio Olimpico Wednesday.

Also Sampdoria hosts Udinese. Defending champion Inter Milan plays Lazio at San Siro.

Milan's defence again displayed lapses and blunders which have drawn uncommon criticism while Australia goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac, playing in place of Dida, made a glaring error on Palermo's third goal.

``We are through a difficult moment, and are paying for every single mistake,'' Milan's coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ``We must overcome this moment quickly because the Champions League is approaching.''

AC Milan will play Bayern Munich in the first knockout round of the European competition on February 21.

While eliminated from the Italian Cup, the club owned by Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi also is struggling in the Serie A, 12 points behind league-leader Juventus.

Gonzalez gave Palermo the lead in the 10th minute with a drive from 30 meters, catching Kalac out of position.

Eight minutes later, he sent a long ball to striker Andrea Caracciolo, who converted to double Palermo's lead.

Gonzalez sealed the victory in the 50th, capitalising on a miscommunication between Kalac and Dario Simic to score into an open goal.

Despite fielding a front line including Alberto Gilardino, Kaka and Pippo Inzaghi, Milan created a few scoring chances.

Palermo goalkeeper Mariano Andujar thwarted Kaka in the opening minutes and made a pair of saves on shots by the Brazilian and Clarence Seedorf in the injury time. — AP

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