Red cards, penalty drama as Lazio beat Roma to reach Coppa quater-final

In a dramatic and chaotic Derby della Capitale in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, Lazio emerged victorious over bitter rivals, Roma, via a penalty following a game that saw three red cards.

Mattia Zaccagni converted the decisive penalty after Dean Huijsen’s foul in extra time to send Lazio through to face Juventus or Frosinone in the semi-finals.

Despite injuries impacting both sides, the match started competitively, with chances for both teams. Roma’s Paulo Dybala went off injured at halftime, and tensions began rising in the second half. Zaccagni finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after Huijsen’s foul on Valentin Castellanos in the box.

This sparked wild celebrations and inspired Lazio to attack relentlessly, with several missed chances to extend their lead as Roma struggled to create opportunities. The game turned chaotic late on – Pedro Rodriguez earned a second yellow before Sardar Azmoun saw red for violent conduct. After the final whistle, an irate Gianluca Mancini also saw red.

The dramatic Coppa Italia tie provided plenty of controversial moments in a heated contest between two rivals struggling in Serie A this term. In the end, Lazio’s determination and clinical edge gave them a place in the last four.