Hellas Verona will advance to the Coppa Italia fifth round thanks to a 5-4 penalty win over Chievo. The match finished 1-1 after extra time.
Sergio Pellissier put the ‘home’ side in front with a wonderful take and finish, then Mohamed Fares levelled after pouncing on a mistake in the Chievo defence. But the Chievo captain missed his spot kick with all the others converted, thus the Flying Donkeys exit the competition.
As a result, Hellas now face a tie with AC Milan on December 13 at the Stadio San Siro.
Chievo started well and took the lead through Pellissier after just eight minutes.
The Gialloblu legend was fed by Fabio Depaoli and took the ball down beautifully, before making no mistake to finish past Marco Silvestri.
Mariusz Stepinski was causing early problems for the Hellas defence, first having a shot blocked, then heading a Pawel Jaroszynski cross over the bar.
Hellas got back on level terms just after the half hour though Fares. A mistake from Luca Garritano allowed the Algerian to nick the ball in the penalty area and easily finish past Andrea Seculin.
Just before half time, Fabrizio Cacciatore headed well over the bar.
Jaroszynski hit a speculative shot from distance straight at Silvestri, as did Gianluca Gaudino, while at the other end Fares tried his luck from the edge of the area to no avail.
As Chievo piled on the pressure, a shot come cross from Gaudino was flicked out for a corner, with Mattia Bani heading the resulting set-piece over.
Hellas forced a good save from Seculin as Daniel Bessa header from six yards was punched clear by Seculin, but the forward couldn’t get the rebound on target.
Depaoli could, and should, have put Chievo in front, but ballooned his strike from 12 yards out well over the crossbar.
Substitute Daniele Verde blasted a shot in from 18 yards, with Seculin only able to punch clear, before gathering the follow up.
Neither side could find that elusive winning goal, and thus the match went to extra time.
Roberto Inglese looked most likely to score and he headed into the arms of Silvestri from close range.
A brilliant reaction stop from Silvestri saved Hellas as Dario Dainelli rose above everyone to head on goal.
Inglese launched a Chievo counter attack, but was stopped in his tracks by the Hellas defence, only to get on the end of a Cacciatore cross, which he glanced wide.
Another chance went begging for the Flying Donkeys as Depaoloi blasted straight at Silvestri, thus the match went to a penalty shootout.
