Juventus sneak in to Cup semis after shoot-out

AFP - 5 February 2009 00:00

Juventus´ French midfielder Mohamed Lamine Sissoko (L) runs for the ball with Naples´ Argentine foward Ezequiel Ivan Lavezzi during their Coppa Italia football match Juventus vs Napoli at Olympic Stadium in Turin. Juventus completed the Italian Cup semi-final line-up after beating Napoli in a penalty shoot-out at Turin´s Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday following a 0-0 draw.

ROME (AFP) - Juventus completed the Italian Cup semi-final line-up after beating Napoli in a penalty shoot-out at Turin's Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday following a 0-0 draw.

They will play Lazio in the last four while Serie A leaders Inter Milan face Sampdoria in the other semi.

In what was a largely dull match, Juve and Napoli barely mustered a single chance between them throughout 120 minutes.

The hosts did have the ball in the net in the last seconds of normal time through David Trezeguet but he was somewhat controversially ruled offside.

So the tie went to a shoot-out with veteran Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved the first to miss as his spot-kick was saved by Nicolas Navarro.

But Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi saw his effort saved by Alex Manninger to level matters.

Momo Sissoko hit the bar to give Napoli another sniff at glory but both Matteo Contini and Walter Gargano skied their shots well over the bar to allow Juventus to progress to the next phase.