Palermo are through to the final of the Coppa Italia after beating AC Milan 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a 2-1 second-leg win on an eventful night in Sicily.
Second-half goals by Giulio Migliaccio and a Cesare Bovo penalty gave Palermo a two-goal cushion, which was halved in added time by substitute Zlatan Ibrahimović. Palermo, who like the Rossoneri were reduced to ten men, clung on to reach the final for only the third time.
Once Migliaccio had powered Josip Iličić’s corner in off a post and Bovo scored from the spot, the hosts looked to be in complete control, but Palermo made life difficult for themselves when Bovo was shown a red card for a challenge on Pato moments after his goal.
That dismissal reduced both sides to ten men, as Mark van Bommel had been sent off two minutes earlier for bringing down Iličić in the incident that led to the penalty.
As hard as the Italian champions fought to get back into the game – Ibrahimović hit both posts with a shot before his goal – Palermo hung on to reach their first Coppa Italia final since 1979. In the 29 May showpiece they will aim to win their first major trophy at the expense of either Inter Milan or Roma, who meet at San Siro on Wednesday with the Nerazzurri 1-0 ahead.
photo credit: americanistadechiapas
