Last-gasp Totti penalty sees Roma in semifinal against Lazio
MILAN (AP) - Francesco Totti converted a penalty deep into stoppage time to send Roma through to the Italian Cup semifinal against city rival Lazio with a narrow 2-1 win over second-division Cesena on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old forward scored in the seventh minute of added time after Cesena goalkeeper Federico Agliardi was harshly adjudged to have fouled Kevin Strootman.
Luca Garritano had canceled out Edin Dzeko's 68th-minute opener for Roma.
Roma faces Lazio over two legs. Both matches will be played at the Stadio Olimpico, which will also host the final. Juventus plays Napoli in the other semifinal.
Roma was made to suffer by a plucky Cesena side, which will rue its numerous missed opportunities in the first half.
It was at times hard to tell which side was battling relegation from the second division and which was fighting for the Serie A title.
Cesena had several chances to take the lead, with Moussa Kone's volley crashing off the near post in the 24th minute and, four minutes later, Roma goalkeeper Alisson finger-tipping Alejandro Rodriguez's header over the bar.
Alisson denied Rodriguez again shortly before halftime and Roma was booed off at the break.
Radja Nainggolan came on for defender Juan Jesus and had an immediate impact, forcing Cesena goalkeeper Federico Agliardi into his first real save of the match.
Dzeko had three great chances shortly after the hour but fired two narrowly wide and saw the other parried by Agliardi.
Roma broke the deadlock with a great team move as Nainggolan sent through Stephan El Shaarawy, who rolled the ball across for Dzeko to slot into the bottom right corner.
The lead lasted just five minutes before Alisson came out to collect a long ball, tangled with teammate Kostas Manolas, and spilled it for the onrushing Garritano to drill into the back of the empty net.
Just as the match seemed to be heading into extra time, Agliardi clattered into Strootman and Roma's talismanic captain stepped up to do the honors, firing powerfully into the bottom left corner.
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PESCARA 1 FIORENTINA 2
Fiorentina needed a last-gasp goal to complete a comeback at bottom club Pescara in Serie A.
The match was scheduled for Jan. 8 but had been postponed because of snow.
Fiorentina gifted Pescara the lead in the 15th minute when its offside trap failed, allowing Cristiano Biraghi to roll the ball across for Gianluca Caprari to race into the area and fire into the bottom right corner.
Fiorentina almost leveled in the 54th when Josip Ilicic's free kick came off the post. Khouma Babacar turned in the rebound but it was ruled out for offside.
The visitors did level 15 minutes later when Cristian Tello curled into the far top corner.
And Tello snatched all three points for Fiorentina with a cross-shot deep in stoppage time.
Fiorentina moved level on points with AC Milan, which has played a match less.
Pescara remained 12 points from safety.