Atalanta played in a Coppa Italia semi-final with Fiorentina after beating AC Milan 2-1 on Wednesday, while Lazio won 1-0 in a fiery derby against Roma that ended with three red cards.
Teun Koopmeiners scored at either break in the quarter-finals to continue Atalanta’s quest for their first primary trophy since 1963, when they last won the competition.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side made the most of the win at San Siro after coming back from a one-goal lead.
Rafael Leao put Milan ahead in the 45th minute following brilliant interplay with Theo Hernandez which ended with the Portugal winger stroking home a beautiful first-time finish.
Shortly before, Gasperini had been sent off for his furious reaction to his team’s failure to secure a penalty when Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders shoved Marten de Roon when he looked set to push for the toppling of Charles De Ketelaere.
Instead, De Roon faced Matteo Gabbia so hard that the men were forced off the field.
But, far from bemoaning their bad luck, Atalanta reacted immediately to Leao’s opener when Koopmeiners deflected a very good shot just before the break.
And before the hour mark, Dutch midfielder Koopmeiners scored what proved to be the decisive goal from the penalty spot, after Alex Jimenez brought down Aleksei Miranchuk.
This time it was Milan’s turn to feel offended when Jiménez appeared to cut the ball before touching Miranchuk, but the hosts did not do enough to change the situation.
THE DELIGHT OF THE LAZIO DERBY
Mattia Zaccagni’s penalty five minutes after half-time in Rome set up the quarter-final clash against either Juventus or Frosinone, who play on Thursday.
“We are proud of the result because our functionality deserves it,” Lazio owner Claudio Lotito told Mediaset.
“Today the team showed itself to be a united and determined group, that’s what a football team needs to be.”
Zaccagni’s penalty was an attack that generated a lot of tension but little action in goal.
Rival fans launched flares at each other before and during the match while Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove was hit on the neck by a beer bottle after being substituted for Stephan El Shaarawy in the 76th minute.
On the field of play, Matías Vecino forced a save from Rui Patricio shortly before Zaccagni’s decisive penalty, awarded for a foul by Dean Huijsen on Valentín Castellanos.
And Vecino closed the gap twice after that, as Roma struggled to create chances despite the presence of star forwards Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku on the pitch.
Dybala had to leave the area at half-time and his replacement Lorenzo Pellegrini was unable to provide any offensive inspiration for the hosts.
Jose Mourinho’s more productive men were able to take advantage of Andrea Belotti’s half-volley in the 86th minute, which was well repelled by Christos Mandas, who then brilliantly prevented Lorenzo Pellegrini from scoring on the rebound.
Lazio striker Pedro and Roma counterpart Sardar Azmoun were sent off in stoppage time as tempers flared, while Roma defender Gianluca Mancini was also sacked for dissenting after the final whistle.