Milan: AS Roma needed a penalty from 40-year-old forward Francesco Totti in the seventh minute of stoppage time to scrape past second-tier Cesena 2-1 in their Coppa Italia quarter-final on Wednesday.
Totti, who has only made sporadic appearances this season, sent his shot into the bottom corner with the last kick of the game to earn Roma a two-leg semi-final against neighbours Lazio.
It was the third goal of the season in all competitions for Totti who is in his 25th season at his only professional club.
Visitors Cesena had enjoyed slightly the better of the exchanges and were set to take the match into extra-time until a clumsy challenge by goalkeeper Federico Agliardi on Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman led to the penalty.
Roma, second in Serie A, broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when Radja Nainggolan slipped the ball to Stephan El Shaarawy and he passed to Edin Dzeko who tapped in from close range.
The Sea Horses, who are stuck in the Serie B relegation zone after dropping down from Serie A last season, levelled five minutes later after a dreadful mixup in the Roma defence.
Goalkeeper Alisson tried to intercept a long ball but collided with Kostas Manolas and substitute Luca Garritano was left with the job of turning the ball into the empty net.
Agliardi saved a Totti free kick and intervened just in time to stop Dzeko getting his head to a Bruno Peres cross but undid his good work by giving away the penalty.
Fiorentina win
A late brace from Cristian Tello kept Fiorentina in contention for a place in Europe with a 2-1 come-from-behind Serie A win on Wednesday.
The sides’ fixture earlier this season had been snowed off but a dogged Pescara earned a 15th minute lead when Gianluca Caprari fired Cristiano Biraghi’s delivery past the onrushing Marco Sportiello in the visitors’ net.
Pescara dominated for long spells but Fiorentina’s fortunes improved when Federico Chiesa came off the bench early in the second half.
Khouma Babacar’s 54th minute goal was ruled offside after the Senegal striker had pounced on a rebound from a Josip Ilicic effort.
But it fired a warning, and La Viola pulled themselves back into contention in some style 15 minutes later when Tello curled a great strike into the far top corner from the edge of the box.
Fiorentina took command, Matias Vecino’s shot charged down before Ilicic twice came close. But when their last-gasp winner came, even Fiorentina were stunned.
Tello’s cross from the left sailed past everyone in the area, and eventually also ‘keeper Albano Bizzarri, to slot into the far bottom corner to seal a dramatic win.
Fiorentina’s third victory from their last four games kept Paulo Sousa’s men in eighth place, 14 points behind leaders Juventus but only three shy of the European places.
Promoted Pescara’s 15th reverse left was too much for embattled coach Massimo Oddo, who cried tears of frustration at the end.
Their sole victory this season came when league officials handed Pescara the points from a fixture against Sassuolo, who had fielded an ineligible player.
