Gennaro Gattuso's AC Milan lost Franck Kessie but kept Lazio at bay in a scoreless draw in the first leg of the Coppa Italia last-four tie.
2018/2019 Coppa Italia
0-0
Match Events
20' Kessie has picked up an injury
Kessie has picked up an injury, which could see his involvement come to an early end. Milan boss Gattuso is in close conversation with his coaching staff but will wait a few minutes before making a decision. It is possibly just a dead leg.
25' CHANCE! Patric's shot wide out
CLOSE! Lazio deserve credit for keeping Piatek as quiet as they have. The hosts finally give their supporters something to cheer about as Patric is allowed to carry the ball forward and get a shot away, which flashes wide of the post. Donnarumma was at full stretch.
27' MISS! Immobile's shot wide out
IT SHOULD BE 1-0! Romulo chests the ball down but cannot get a shot away. The ball drops nicely for Immobile to strike from eight yards, though, and he really should be burying it. Instead, the ball drifts wide of Donnarumma's target.
29' Kessie goes off injured
Kessie's knee has been heavily bandaged since being caught by Parolo and it has now been decided that he is unable to continue. Calhanoglu is brought on in his place - a huge blow for the visitors.
38' Milinkovic comes close!
JUST WIDE! Lazio are threatening to find a breakthrough goal as we edge closer to half-time. Nobody gets close enough to Milinkovic-Savic on the edge of the box and he fires a snapshot inches wide from 20 yards.
60' CHANCE! Milinkovic's header wide out
HEADED CHANCE! Romulo's cross deflects behind off Borini for a corner, which Milinkovic-Savic gets on the end of. The header has too much on it, though, looping high and wide of the target.
Match Report
Lazio failed to capitalise on having home advantage in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final as they were held to a 0-0 draw by AC Milan on Tuesday.
The battle between the last two beaten finalists never sparked into life at the Stadio Olimpico, though the outcome was hardly surprising considering they had failed to muster a goal between them in both meetings at the same stage of the competition last season.
Milan eventually went through to the final on penalties and the Rossoneri will be favourites to progress again this year with the second leg at San Siro, though the return fixture is not until April 23.
Lazio had the best opportunity to break the deadlock, Ciro Immobile carelessly shooting wide from a central position inside the penalty area to let Alessio Romagnoli – who had scuffed his clearance straight to the striker – off the hook in the opening half.
Both Francesco Acerbi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also failed to hit the target from long range and while Lucas Leiva did force Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save, his curling effort was straight at the goalkeeper.
Milan, meanwhile, were not helped by the loss of Franck Kessie, the midfielder substituted just before the half-hour mark having suffered an injury in an earlier challenge.
Line-ups
Lazio XI: Lucas, Lulic, Immobile, Rômulo, Parolo, Acerbi, Patric, T. Strakosha, Correa, Bastos, S. Milinković-Savić
Subs: S. Proto, Caicedo, M. Badelj, L.Alberto, Durmisi, Marusic, G. Guerrieri, Cataldi, L.Felipe, B.Jordao, P.Neto
Milan XI: Musacchio, Borini, Bakayoko, Suso, D. Laxalt, Romagnoli, Calabria, Kessié, Krzysztof Piatek, G. Donnarumma, Lucas Paquetá
Subs: Pepe Reina, Montolivo, L. Biglia, Abate, I. Strinić, R. Rodríguez, Bertolacci, A. Donnarumma, Calhanoglu, Conti, Castillejo, Cutrone