AC Milan hosted fellow Serie A side Carpi to the San Siro on Wednesday night with both sides looking to progress to the semi-final of the Coppa Italia.
In the league, Carpi have struggled to adjust with such a tight budget as they sit second bottom, while Milan have also underperformed as they sit in 8th position.
The game started slowly with the Rossoneri dominating possession but struggling to find the killer pass. In the 7th minute a corner from the right was met by a glancing header from Cristian Zapata but it flashed wide of the far post.
Zeljko Brkic was called into action shortly after after a free kick from Keisuke Honda dipped towards the bottom corner. The Serbian stopper produced a fine save to deny an early lead for Milan.
Seizing the initiative
However Brkic could not prevent the home side taking a 14th minute lead. Honda played a fine pass through to Carlos Bacca, who took the ball around the 'keeper and slotted into an empty net using a cheeky rabona while off balance. A wonderful goal and deserved early lead for the Diavolo.
Juraj Kucka almost doubled the lead five minutes later as he scrapped to win the ball on the edge of the box before unleashing a drive towards the bottom left corner that Brkic did well to tip away before the ball was cleared behind for a corner.
Giacomo Bonaventura was provided with another set piece opportunity in the 25th minute as Bacca was fouled near the right byline. A wonderful cross found Zapata who somehow took all the pace out of the ball and headed softly at Brkic.
Kevin Lasagna was penalised for a push that looked soft, but he still proceeded to thunder and effort home and will have felt harshly done to.
Carpi were punished again for a lapse in concentration as Carlos Bacca was allowed to sprint down the left flank and play a perfect pass to M'Baye Niang, who took a touch and poked past Brkic to make it 2-0 in the 28th minute.
There were no real chances between the second goal and the half way point. Carpi tried to get back into the game yet couldn't find any real moments of quality, meaning it remained 2-0 at the break.
Work to do if the visitors were to revive their cup dreams, while Milan will have been happy to control the game and get two big goals.
Making a game of it
The visitors made two changes to start the second half as ex-Milan man Cristian Zaccardo and Raffaele Bianco were withdrawn in favour of Matteo Mancosu and Marco Crimi.
Milan threatened early in the second half as Luca Antonelli glanced a header across goal as Carpi struggled to defend the set piece again.
Carpi did get themselves back into the game in the 50th minute as Matteo Mancosu was left the easy job of slotting home following a brilliant run down the right by Kevin Lasagna. Poor defending from the hosts who had all of a sudden let their opponents back into a game they were comfortable in.
Kevin-Prince Boateng made his home return debut as he came on for Niang just before the hour mark. He passed to Kucka in the 62nd minute who stormed into the box, but instead of squaring to Bacca for an easy tap-in he sliced a shot wide much to the disgust of his team mates.
Kevin Lasagna found space to shoot on the edge of the box in the 67th minute, though he lashed his effort wide as Milan continued to look shaky. Shortly after, Andrea Bertolacci was introduced in place of Juraj Kucka.
Chances in the closing stages dried up just as with the first half. Bonaventura struck a free kick narrowly over inside the last ten minutes as Milan looked to kill the game off.
Luca Antonelli charged down the left shortly after before pulling back towards the penalty spot where the ball eventually found Honda, who had his shot blocked behind for a corner.
Carlos Bacca went down in the area late on but his claims for a penalty were waved away and rightly so.
There were no dramatic twists in the final seconds as Milan secured progression, albeit unconvincingly, into the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. They will face either of Spezia or Alessandria, meaning a route to the final should be achieved.
Carpi were unlucky not to at least take the game to extra time however it was clear to see they ran out of steam towards the end of the game.