MILAN: Gleison Bremer scored the winner as Juventus beat Lazio 1-0 on Thursday to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals.

The hosts got a deserved breakthrough just before halftime when Bremer perfectly timed a run into the box to connect with a cross from Filip Kostic and head the ball into the net.

Victory and a clean sheet for Juventus came after a 2-0 home defeat by promoted Monza at the weekend which meant they had conceded 10 goals in their three most recent league matches.

“You need the right tactics and play but above all you need the right spirit,” said coach Massimiliano Allegri. “We were coming off that Monza defeat so it wasn’t an easy situation for us... now we’ve laid the foundations to recover our league form as well.”

Lazio lacked intensity to challenge a disciplined Juventus defence and never seriously threatened to get an equaliser.

Winning the cup would qualify Juve for the Europa League and that is their most realistic route to continental competition next season after being hit with a 15-point penalty for illicit transfer activity last month.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side will face Inter Milan in the two-legged semi-finals after they beat Atalanta 1-0.

Cremonese, who knoc­ked out AS Roma, will play Fiorentina in the other last-four tie.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023