Rampant Roma snatch semi-final advantage
Reuters - Thursday 04 February 2010, 22:19
ROME - AS Roma maintained their formidable
form on Thursday with a 2-0 home win over Udinese in the first
leg of their Italian Cup semi-final.
Mirko Vucinic latched on to a pass from deep by Daniele De
Rossi before slotting the ball into the corner and Philippe
Mexes headed home in the first half to put the hosts in command
of the tie.
The victory stretched Roma's unbeaten run in all
competitions to 18 games, having moved level on points with
second-placed AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday with a 2-1 win over
Siena.
On Thursday, they played some neat one-touch football in the
opening phase with captain Francesco Totti back from injury
along with fellow striker Vucinic, who gave them a 12th-minute
lead with the help of some distracted defending.
Udinese, who are fourth-from-bottom in Serie A, had more
possession as the first half wore on but created few chances.
French defender Mexes beat their back-line to a David
Pizarro free-kick to extend Roma's lead in the 40th.
The home side cruised in the second half and Udinese's
failure to make an impression on the score-sheet leaves them
facing an uphill task in the return leg, which is scheduled to
take place in April.
Serie A leaders Inter Milan beat Fiorentina 1-0 at the San
Siro on Wednesday in the first leg of the other semi.