Milan dish out capital punishment
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Article summary
AC Milan will take a commanding 4-1 lead into the second leg of their Italian Cup final against AS Roma.
Article body
Serginho double
Two goals from Brazilian winger Serginho and further efforts by Massimo Ambrosini and Ukrainian international Andriy Shevchenko put the UEFA Champions League finalists into a virtually unassailable position for the return match in Milan.
Advantage Roma
Roma went ahead in the 28th minute when Francesco Totti curled a 25-metre free-kick past goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. But after right-back Cafu wasted a chance to extend their advantage in the 60th minute, the home side's defence suffered a disastrous ten-minute period.
Paying the penalty
A Christian Panucci handball allowed Serginho to level the score from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, before Ambrosini was given space to head Milan into the lead eight minutes later. Serginho grabbed his second in the 72nd minute, picking up a long ball to beat keeper Ivan Pelizzoli with the outside of his boot.
Home discomfort
A minute before the end of normal time Shevchenko completed the home side's agony, chesting down a long pass, slipping around Panucci and lobbing Pelizzoli to leave Roma with a near-impossible task at the San Siro stadium on 31 May.
