Roma, Chievo into Cup quarters

Substitute Cyril Thereau’s stoppage-time winner sent Chievo through to the Italian Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory at Udinese. Roma also progressed with a comfortable 3-0 win against Fiorentina.

Paolo Sammarco put Chievo in front in the eighth minute but Udinese thought it had done enough to take the game into extra time when Antonio Di Natale equalized six minutes from time.

However, Thereau pounced in the opening minute of stoppage time to send Chievo through to a matchup against Siena.

In Rome, Fiorentina’s defense committed three mistakes to gift Erik Lamela two goals and Fabio Borini one.

Roma will meet Serie A co-leaders Juventus in the next round.

Udinese were the favourites coming into the game as they sit third in the Serie A standings, two points below AC Milan and Juventus and 15 above Chievo, but suffered their first loss at home since a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League in August.

Udinese had the brighter start and could have taken the lead in the second minute as Diego Fabbrini made a good run into the area, but his pass to Antonio Di Natale was too short.

Chievo, who had barely made an incursion into Udinese’s half, took the lead when Joel Ekstrand headed poorly back to his goalkeeper and Paolo Sammarco nipped in to fire his side in front.

Ekstrand went close to atoning for his error on the half-hour mark but his header was well saved by Chievo goalkeeper Christian Puggioni.

Chievo looked dangerous on the counterattack and shortly before the break Udinese defender Roberto Pereyra came close to scoring an own goal, deflecting Davide Moscardelli’s cross just past the post.

Udinese brought on Antonio Floro Flores and Dusan Basta for the second half and they immediately looked like an improved side.

The more Udinese attacked however, the more it left itself exposed at the back and Gennaro Sardo almost took advantage with a swiveling shot which Samir Handanovic did brilliantly to keep out.

Udinese’s hard work finally paid off six minutes from time when Di Natale leveled with a stunning 25-yard free kick.

The game appeared to be heading for extra time when Kamil Vacek threaded a delightful ball through for Thereau to fire under the onrushing Handanovic.

At the Stadio Olimpico, Fiorentina looked the more likely side to take the lead in the first half, with the ever-dangerous Stevan Jovetic going close on several occasions.

However, Roma started to improve as the first half came to a close and they took the lead eight minutes after the break.

A long ball into the area was headed out by the Fiorentina defense, but only as far as Francesco Totti. The Roma captain tried to muscle his way past two defenders, and although he was unsuccessful, he managed to squeeze the ball out to Lamela who fired it home.

Fiorentina almost immediately equalised as Jovetic found Manuel Pasqual completely unmarked in the area and the defender had plenty of time to control the ball, look up and unleash a fierce shot which Roma defender Cicinho got in the way of.

Lamela doubled his tally halfway through the second period. Borini stole the ball off Amidu Salifu and passed it to Totti, who tapped it on for the overlapping Lamela to fire a razing shot into the back of the net.

Another defensive error gifted Roma their third goal as Neto’s goal kick fell straight to Borini, who raced 40 yards and rounded a defender, slotting the ball past him first, before firing it through Neto’s legs.