Agence France-Presse
Milan, Italy / Fri,
February 14, 2020 / 09:49 am
Juventus' Portuguese
forward Cristiano Ronaldo shoots to score a penalty and equalize during the
Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) semi-final first leg football match AC Milan vs
Juventus Turin on February 13, 2020 at the San Siro stadium in Milan.
(AFP/Isabella Bonoto)
Cristiano Ronaldo's injury-time penalty grabbed
Juventus a 1-1 draw at AC Milan in their Italian Cup semi-final, first leg on
Thursday as his incredible scoring run continued.
The 35-year-old has now scored 12 goals in his last
eight games in all competitions after the Portuguese ultimately got the better
of old rival Zlatan Ibrahimovic despite being largely anonymous for much of the
match.
Milan paid for Theo Hernandez's 71st-minute red card
as they failed to close out a game they had dominated for long periods and led
through Ante Rebic.
Juve will now be favourites to finish the job in the
second leg at the Allianz Stadium next month, with a final against either Inter
Milan or Napoli up for grabs.
The hosts started strongly, with Ibrahimovic heading
over the crossbar inside the first minute.
He continued to be a threat to his former club early
on, but could only direct an ambitious backheel flick beyond the far post,
before picking up a booking which will see him miss the second leg through
suspension.
Juventus finally produced their first shot in anger
nine minutes before half-time, as Juan Cuadrado saw his low strike well saved
by Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Milan started the second half as they did the first,
on the front foot, but Rebic was denied an opening goal by Gianluigi Buffon.
Samu Castillejo also called Buffon into action seven
minutes after the break, with the 42-year-old goalkeeper able to make a
comfortable save.
Stefano Pioli's side finally made the breakthrough in
the 61st minute, though, as Castillejo's clipped cross was volleyed home at the
back post by Rebic.
Juventus were gifted a way back into the game with 18
minutes remaining as Hernandez was handed a second yellow card for a late
challenge on Paulo Dybala.
That prompted the 13-time winners to belatedly pile
some pressure on the home goal, and Donnarumma had to be alert to keep out
Matthijs de Ligt's header.
Dybala curled wide with five minutes remaining, but
Juve were awarded a spot-kick in the final minute of normal time as VAR spotted
a handball by Davide Calabria.
Ronaldo stepped up and slammed the ball down the
middle to score his 24th goal of the season.
Six minutes of injury-time gave the visitors hope of
clinching an unlikely victory, but Milan at least held on for a draw to keep
their bid for a first Cup crown since 2003 alive.
On Wednesday, Napoli struck first blood in their
semi-final as Gennaro Gattuso's men downed Serie A leaders Inter Milan 1-0 at
the San Siro, with Fabian Ruiz scoring the winner.
The last-four second legs will take place on March 4
and 5, with the final on May 13 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
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- Arif Chrisna Darma Saputra
- Muhammad Ikhsanul Amal
