ROME (AFP) ― Inter Milan rung the changes but still proved too strong for a virtual Genoa reserve team as the holders won 2-1 in the Italian Cup on Thursday.
Maicon scored a stunning opener and Andrea Poli finished off a clever move to give the nerazzurri a date away to Napoli in the quarterfinals.
Valter Birsa netted in injury time for Genoa but it was too little, too late for a side that never really got going.
Coach Claudio Ranieri wasted little time musing over the win, turning his attention to league matters this weekend.
“It was a good game, I’m satisfied but now we start thinking about Lazio,” he said.
“The players are proud and want to do everything well. That makes everything easier.
“We have to keep doing what we’re doing, we host Lazio on Sunday and they’re doing well in the league, as are we.
“They’ve earned more points away than at home, it’s a game that will give us important answers.”
Ranieri gave the night off to the likes of goalkeeper Julio Cesar, centre-backs Lucio and Walter Samuel and strikers Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini but Genoa went even further by dropping almost their entire first team.
It meant there was never much doubt who would prevail at the San Siro and the suspense was practically ended after just nine minutes.
Brazilian full-back Maicon set his sights from 25 yards and with no back-lift managed to somehow fire a rocket into the top corner, giving Cristiano Lupatelli no chance.
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Midfielder Joel Obi (right) of Inter Milan is fouled by Genoa midfielder Felipe Seymur of Chile, during the match between Inter Milan and Genoa at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Thursday. (AP-Yonhap News) |
That was the only dangerous situation in a first half Inter strolled through and five minutes after the break they put the game to bed.
Maicon crossed from the right and Poli played a one-two with Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi before volleying home his first goal for the club.
Things were at times so comfortable for Inter that they lost concentration and gave away balls that led to chances.
A wayward pass backwards from Luca Castaignos allowed Lucas Pratto a shot on goal but Luca Castellazzi was down well to save.
And he made an even better stop to deny Cristobal Jorquera when Esteban Cambiasso lost the ball in midfield.
Genoa caused some injury time havoc from a Giuseppe Sculli back-heel that set up Pratto to shoot against the bar with Birsa the most alert to latch onto the rebound and shoot home.
Spain
VALENCIA (AP) ― Valencia took a commanding lead in its Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Levante with a 4-1 home win over its crosstown rival in the first leg on Thursday.
After Levante playmaker Jose Barkero had to be replaced after just 10 minutes with an apparent leg problem, Valencia capitalized on a pair of errors to quickly go up 2-0 at Mestalla stadium.
The hosts recovered a ball inside Levante’s half in the 24th for Jonas to tuck Pablo Hernandez’s pass under goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Attack partner Roberto Soldado then added the second in the 31st when he tapped in a poor clearance by Javi Venta in front of the net.
Striker Arouna Kone scored in the 37th with a blast from the edge of the area to pull one back for Levante against the run of play, but Pablo Piatti re-established Valencia’s cushion for good just before halftime when he reached Pablo’s diagonal pass behind the defense and flicked it home.
The second half saw more bookings than scoring chances as tempers rose in the derby until Valencia midfielder Tino Costa scored in added time with a shot that took a deflection off a defender before falling behind substitute goalkeeper Gustavo Munua.
“The last goal gives us a good chance to get through the knockout series,” said Soldado, who took his scoring tally in all competitions this season to 19. “Scoring away had given them hope, so our last goal is worth double.”
The winner of the series will face either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the semifinals. Barcelona won 2-1 at Madrid in their first leg.
On the other side of the bracket, Athletic Bilbao downed Mallorca 2-0 at home, while Espanyol rallied to beat third-tier Mirandes 3-2 earlier this week.
The return legs will be played next week.
