MILAN: Atalanta cruised into the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday after the Serie A leaders thumped second-tier outfit Cesena 6-1.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side will face Bologna in the last eight thanks to a typically barnstorming performance in Bergamo in which the hosts were three goals to the good within half an hour.

Charles De Ketelaere and Lazar Samardzic both struck braces after Davide Zappacosta opened the scoring in the fourth minutes, with Marco Bresci­anini netting Atalanta’s fifth in the 54th minute.

Atalanta are two points ahead of Napoli at the top of Serie A.

“We come with great momentum and enthusiasm, all games are difficult in Serie A. We are in a good moment,” Gasperini said. “We have a great spirit as well as confidence and enthusiasm. We’re going through a very positive period.”

Cesena, who scored through Joseph Ceesay in the final minute, return to their promotion push with Michele Mignani’s team currently sitting fifth and in Serie B’s play-off positions. The away side are 12 points away from the automatic promotion spots.

Claudio Ranieri’s AS Roma put recent struggles behind them with a convincing 4-1 win over Sampdoria which set up a clash with AC Milan in the next round.

Artem Dovbyk put Roma two ahead in the first 19 minutes and further goals from Tommaso Baldanzi and Eldor Shomurodov capped a straightforward victory in Rome.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024