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Juventus reach Italian Cup semis

Last updated on: February 05, 2009 15:42 IST

Juventus beat Napoli 4-3 on penalties at home on Wednesday after a goalless draw to book a meeting with Lazio in the Italian Cup semi-finals.

Napoli midfielder Walter Gargano made the decisive miss, while his team mates Ezequiel Lavezzi and Matteo Contini also failed with their spot-kicks, as did Juve's Pavel Nedved and Momo Sissoko.

Apart from a lively spell by Lavezzi at the start of the second half and his Napoli team mate Paolo Cannavaro almost diverting the ball into his own net in the 69th minute, it was an uneventful game until the closing stages of regulation time.

Mariano Bogliacino failed to make contact with the goal gaping as the visitors spurned a series of excellent chances in a late blitz.

Juve's David Trezeguet, making his second appearance as a substitute following knee surgery in September, had a goal disallowed for a dubious offside call in stoppage time.

The former France striker then wasted two short-range chances in quick succession in the first period of extra time and Cannavaro did well to block an Alessandro Del Piero effort in the second.

Serie A champions Inter Milan will take on Sampdoria in the other semi-final.

Source: REUTERS
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