ROME: Spezia will face Napoli in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia next week after a dramatic 4-2 win after extra time at AS Roma in which the hosts finished with nine men.

Former Roma winger Daniele Verde and Riccardo Saponara scored in extra time for Vincenzo Italiano’s side, who are playing their first ever Serie A season.

The match changed two minutes into extra time as Roma defender Gianluca Mancini and goalkeeper Pau Lopez were sent off within 30 seconds of each other, in separate incidents.

Mancini was dismissed following a second yellow card while Lopez received a straight red for clattering into Spezia forward Roberto Piccoli.

Spezia had been 2-0 up after 15 minutes, following Andrey Galabinov’s penalty and Saponara’s first goal of the night.

However, Roma got back into the match when Lorenzo Pellegrini converted a penalty two minutes before halftime and Henrikh Mkhitaryan leveled in the 73rd.

Verde put Spezia ahead in the 107th minute with a fine header before Saponara completed a famous night for the away side with a fabulous chip one minute from the end.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2021