Palermo beats Mantua 5-2 and advances to the round of 16 of the Italian Cup

It ends 5-2 Palermo-Mantova, a single match valid for the round of 32 of the Italian Cup. The hosts advance to the round of 16, where they will meet Bologna away.

At the Barbera stadium the rosanero took the lead after 9 minutes with Strefezza receiving the ball almost on the backfield, coming back on the left and beating Bardi at the near post. Inzaghi's team, galvanized by the lead, became dangerous in the 11th and 21st minutes with Vavassori finding Bardi attentive: on the first occasion the goalkeeper did well to deflect a header into a corner, on the second he hypnotised the Rosanero number 9. A quarter of an hour before the end of the first half, Mantua improved: the Virgilians challenged Fortin in the 40th minute with Ignacchiti from distance and five minutes later they found the goal with Gliozzi, disallowed for offside by VAR. Palermo woke up and in injury time won a penalty kick with Vavassori, which Palumbo converted from the spot.

In the second half the Modesto team immediately put their foot down on the accelerator and in the 52nd minute closed the gap with a great right-footed shot from the edge of the area by Ruocco. Three minutes later the Virgilians completed the comeback thanks to Kouda's goal. Palermo felt the pinch and threatened again in the 67th minute with Hernani, who hit the crossbar from a corner. Three minutes later Inzaghi's team found the 3-2 on the development of a counterattack: Johnsen found the back and fed Pohjanpalo who, two steps from the goal, slotted it past Bardi. In the 89th minute the rosanero make it 4-2, again on the counterattack: Pohjanpalo launches Segre, ball to Johnsen for the winning tap. In injury time, Mantova didn't give up and came close to scoring with Barba who saved on the line, but the Rosanero scored again in the 95th minute: a missed back pass took advantage of Vavassori who pressed Bardi, the ball reached Pohjnapalo who put the seal on the match.