Inter, Roma coast to Coppa Italia quarters
(AP)Updated: 2006-11-30 08:53 ROME - Inter Milan and AS Roma advanced to the Italian Cup quarterfinals Wednesday.
Inter beat Messina 4-0 with four headers - two by Nicolas Burdisso - and advanced 5-0 on aggregate. Roma beat second-division Triestina 2-0 on goals by Valerio Virga and Vincenzo Montella and advanced 4-1 on aggregate.
 AS Roma's Christian Panucci is surrounded by team mates after scoring against Sampdoria during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Marassi stadium in Genoa November 26, 2006. [Reuters] |
Inter, the Serie A leader, led in the 27th minute when Burdisso converted a Luis Figo corner. Kily Gonzalez scored in the 36th off a cross from Santiago Solari.
Messina striker Arturo Di Napoli had a goal annulled for offside in the 39th.
Defender Marco Andreolli scored his first career goal in the 61st and Burdisso completed Inter's tally off another corner in the 71st.
Inter next will face either Empoli or Genoa, which play next week. Empoli won the first leg 1-0.
Adriano started for Inter and extended his scoring drought to eight months. The Brazil striker has not scored for Inter in any competition since March 29. He showed signs of ending his slump though -- sending a powerful free kick wide in the 58th -- and exited to a standing ovation in the 77th.
Adriano completed a week of rest in Brazil earlier this month to regain his focus.
"I think he still has an ample margin for improvement," Inter coach Roberto Mancini said. "He's still at 50 percent."
Virga scored his first professional goal to put Roma in front in the 22nd. The 20-year-old's shot from the edge of the area banged in off the inside of the post.
Montella scored five minutes later on a header off a corner.
Roma will next face either Napoli or Parma. Napoli won the first leg 1-0.
Roma played without captain Francesco Totti and defenders Christian Panucci and Christian Chivu. All three are expected to return for Saturday's league match against Atalanta.
Roma has won five straight games in the league and is in second place.
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