AC Milan 2 Torino 1: Suso stars in second half turnaround

AC Milan scored twice inside three second-half minutes to beat Torino 2-1 in the Coppa Italia round of 16 and set up a repeat of last season's final against Juventus.

Former Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic saw his Torino side take a deserved first-half lead when Andrea Belotti fired the visitors ahead, but the in-form Rossoneri burst into life after the interval.

Club legend Arrigo Sacchi said before the game that Vincenzo Montella was "painting a masterpiece" at Milan, and the guile and menace with which they broke Torino down after an hour at San Siro suggested the praise was justified.

Spanish midfielder Suso emerged as the architect of the victory, launching an attack that saw Juraj Kucka lash home a 61st-minute equaliser and then delivering a pinpoint pass that Giacomo Bonaventura volleyed home to give Milan the lead.

Torino, who had Antonio Barreca sent off in the dying minutes, matched their hosts for long periods of the game but ultimately lacked the cutting edge that should give Montella's men a chance of revenge when they meet champions Juve in the quarter-finals.

The visitors launched into attack from the kick-off and soon won a free-kick that Adem Ljajic sent narrowly over, before he produced a cross that sat up nicely for Marco Benassi, but Milan's Gustavo Gomez made an important block.

Belotti was a tightly marked man and Gabriel Paletta left him requiring a new boot after a particularly tough challenge, while at the other end Barreca gave the ball away sloppily to Bonaventura but sprinted back to recover the ball and clear his lines.

Having pressed and harried their hosts for 27 minutes, Torino deservedly took the lead when Benassi broke away with only two Milan defenders ahead of him and slotted a throughball to Belotti, who applied a simple finish.

Despite being given ample space and possession in Torino's half, Milan failed to break Mihajlovic's side down and Kucka's volleyed effort from 20 yards was the closest they came to a first-half equaliser.

Shortly after the restart Torino goalkeeper Joe Hart suffered a head injury after claiming the ball at the feet of Gianluca Lapadula and getting caught by the Italian's studs, but the Manchester City loanee played on with a bandage around his head while Lapadula received a yellow card.

Jose Sosa sent a header just wide before Suso danced through the Torino defence and fired a shot that Hart could only parry, allowing Bonaventura to send over a cross for Kucka to slam high into the net and restore parity.

And the turnaround was soon completed as Suso again split the Torino defence, this time with a delicately chipped ball that Bonaventura met with a deft volley, which Hart could only watch flash past him into the net.

Milan had Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for preserving their lead when his lightning reflexes prevented Belotti from beating him with a low drive, but Torino ran out of steam and their evening was spoiled further shortly before full-time when Barreca was shown a second yellow card for a cynical challenge on Suso.

Latest in
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola holds aloft the Premier League trophy at the Etihad in May 2023.
Quiz! Can you name every Premier League champion... in just 90 seconds?
Newcastle United's Dan Burn battles with Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on February 26, 2025.
I watch every football game on this TV - and it's been discounted by £210 in the Amazon Spring Deal Days
Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi of Spain thanks the fans during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal leg one match between Netherlands and Spain at De Kuip on March 20, 2025 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Arsenal report: Martin Zubimendi 'very close' to shock Real Madrid move
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim reacts at full-time of the Premier League match against Arsenal at Old Trafford on 9 March, 2025
Manchester United make exciting teenager 'top priority' this summer: report
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on February 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool set for major PSR hit ahead of the summer: report
The current logo used for the Premier League
Surprise sponsor 'in talks' with the Premier League over multi-million pound deal: report
Latest in News
Newcastle United's Dan Burn battles with Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on February 26, 2025.
I watch every football game on this TV - and it's been discounted by £210 in the Amazon Spring Deal Days
Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi of Spain thanks the fans during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal leg one match between Netherlands and Spain at De Kuip on March 20, 2025 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Arsenal report: Martin Zubimendi 'very close' to shock Real Madrid move
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim reacts at full-time of the Premier League match against Arsenal at Old Trafford on 9 March, 2025
Manchester United make exciting teenager 'top priority' this summer: report
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on February 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool set for major PSR hit ahead of the summer: report
The current logo used for the Premier League
Surprise sponsor 'in talks' with the Premier League over multi-million pound deal: report
Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho could still leave the club this month
'Alejandro Garnacho has let his family down. He might be immature but he is not young anymore, it's a massive disappointment that he is not performing - he just seems like a Ronaldo fanboy' Ex Manchester United star launches astonishing rant at winger