Coppa Italia: No surprises, Cagliari, Udinese, and Milan advance to the round of 16.

The three favorites advance in the first matches of the Coppa Italia round of 32. Cagliari scored four goals against Frosinone, Udinese won 2-1 against Palermo, and AC Milan defeated Lecce 3-0 at San Siro. The surprises came from the attackers, with Zaniolo scoring his first goal for Udinese and Nkunku scoring for AC Milan.

Cagliari-Frosinone 4-1

The match broke the deadlock after just a minute and a half with a foul by Cittadini on Borrelli in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty being awarded. Gaetano He's ice-cold from eleven meters and crosses with his right foot, putting the Sardinians ahead. Pisacane's team persists and creates other chances but finds an attentive Pisseri blocking their path. The first Ciociaria response comes in the 14th minute when Masciangelo anticipates Zappa and heads just wide of the post. In the 16th minute, Kvernadze takes advantage of a misplaced clearance and appears in front of Ciocci, but from a tight angle, he shoots wide with the keeper well placed. In the 26th minute, a nice combination on the left between Gaetano and Idrissi with a low cross that goes nowhere. Immediately after, Gaetano tries again from the edge of the box, but the ball goes over. The Gialloblu equalizes in the 36th minute, following a corner with a header to the far post and Vergani free in the six-yard box to make it 1-1. Shortly after, in the 39th minute, Ndow headed the ball against the crossbar in a move similar to the one that led to the equalizer.

The second half saw Cagliari more determined and in the 67th minute they took the lead again. Felici broke through on the left and served Borrelli who doesn't miss in front of goal. It's the former Frosinone striker's first goal in red and blue. The match takes a turn for the home team, and in the 80th minute happy He takes center stage with a quick exchange with Idrissi, a run into the box and a winning shot to make it 3-1. The curtain falls in the 85th minute with a poker. Esposito invents the through ball for Cavuoti who beats Pisseri. It ends 4-1.

Udinese-Palermo 2-1 

The match opened with a chance for the Friulians. After three minutes, Zaniolo set up Lennon Miller, who came in front of Joronen, who did well to close down the goal. Palermo responded through Giacomo Corona, a talented player who found himself in the box twice in good positions in the first 13 minutes but lacked precision in front of goal. As the minutes passed, Zaniolo grew, and in the 23rd minute he showed off his skills with a cut-away from the right and a curling left-footed shot, again parried by Joronen. Shortly after, Le Duaron delivered a perfect cross for Corona, who volleyed it wide, but it didn't hit the target. In the 41st minute, Zaniolo A similar move is repeated, but this time the Palermo goalkeeper doesn't reach it and Udinese takes the lead. The second goal comes in the 45th minute. On Buksa's blocked shot, the Sicilian defense fails to clear and Miller He was the quickest to head the ball into the net, making it 2-0.

In the second half, the Bianconeri came very close to scoring the third. Following a back-pass error by Augello, Kamara raced toward goal, but Joronen denied him. Palermo, despite struggling, never gave up faith and found a way to reopen the match in the long stoppage time. In the 97th minute, Peda He heads a free kick, taking advantage of Kristensen's weak marking, and closes the gap. It ends 2-1.

Milan-Lecce 3-0

The match immediately became an uphill battle for the Salento side. After four clear missed chances, the Rossoneri took the lead in the 20th minute: Gimenez, who scored with power just two minutes after Siebert was shown the red card for a last-man foul on Nkunku. In the first half, Allegri's team created a lot of play and hit the woodwork twice, with Nkunku and Rabiot blocked by the post and the crossbar, respectively. Lecce were nonexistent in attack, with zero shots on target.

In the second half, Milan accelerated and immediately found the second goal. In the 51st minute Nkuku makes a splendid acrobatic turn that leaves Fruchtl no chance, making it 2-0. Shortly after, in the 64th minute, Pulisic As soon as he came on, he pounced on the cross into the box and beat everyone else to make it three. During the match, the Rossoneri hit the woodwork twice more, bringing their total to three posts and one crossbar. 3-0.

A convincing performance from the Rossoneri, who, against a Lecce side that was down to ten men for over seventy minutes and unable to trouble Maignan (only one shot on target the entire game), fully deservedly earned their place in the round of 16. Milan will face Lazio in the round of 16.