Udinese stun Milan in Italian Cup
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-17 14:38

AC Milan's treble hopes ended when they lost 4-1 to Udinese in the Italian Cup quarter-final second leg on Wednesday to go out 6-4 on aggregate.

Udinese will play AS Roma in the semi-finals after the capital club scraped through 7-6 on penalties against Fiorentina, who won the second leg 1-0 to leave the tie locked at 1-1.

Top of Serie A and through to the last eight of the Champions League, Italian champions Milan went into the match on a run of nine consecutive victories and with a 3-2 lead from the first leg.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to field a second-string team with Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson operating as a lone striker in place of in-form Hernan Crespo.

Despite enjoying more possession, Milan went behind in the 20th minute when Giampiero Pinzi cut the ball across the area for striker Vincenzo Iaquinta to whip a shot past goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.

Ancelotti introduced midfielder Clarence Seedorf after halftime in a bid to gain more cutting edge, and the Dutchman soon forced a diving save from Udinese keeper Morgan De Sanctis.

Just when it appeared Milan might get level, however, Udinese's Czech international Marek Jankulovski dribbled down the right and slid a pass for Stefano Mauri to fire home from just inside the area.

Tomasson pulled one back with 13 minutes remaining but a clumsy challenge by Milan defender Kakha Kaladze on David Pizarro gave Udinese a penalty, which striker David Di Michele tucked away.

Mauri completed the rout with the last kick of the match after Abbiati was caught in possession on the edge of his area.

"We were punished for our naivety. We created a lot of chances ourselves, but unfortunately left ourselves too exposed to Udinese's counterattacks," Ancelotti said.

TURBULENT DAYS

Roma, 1-0 up on Fiorentina from the first leg, came into the second leg on the back of a turbulent few days following the departure of coach Luigi Del Neri and the appointment of Bruno Conti.

Fiorentina took the lead through an 11th-minute own goal by Roma defender Matteo Ferrari, who turned a cross from midfielder Christian Obodo into his own net.

Roma played with greater urgency after the interval and Italy forward Francesco Totti tested home keeper Christian Cejas with a powerful free kick.

Seven minutes into the first period of extra time Roma were reduced to 10 men when Ferrari received his second yellow card but it was the visitors who pressed forward and Traianos Dellas forced a diving save from Cejas with a firm header.

Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi was sent off for hand ball on the edge of the area in the dying seconds.

An early miss in the shootout by Roma's Antonio Cassano gave Fabrizio Miccoli the chance to send Fiorentina into the last four, but when the diminutive striker's effort was saved by Gianluca Curci the shootout went to sudden death.

Fiorentina defender Tomas Ujfalusi then crashed his spot spot-kick against the post to hand Roma a place in the semis.

Sampdoria host Cagliari in the last quarter-final second leg on Thursday with the visitors leading 2-0 from the first leg. Inter Milan reached the semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate victory over Atalanta last month.

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