Coppa Italia: AC Milan Thrash Sassuolo 6-1 to Reach Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

AC Milan secured a resounding 6-1 win over Sassuolo to advance to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, with Samuel Chukwueze scoring twice in a dominant display at the San Siro.

AC Milan cruised into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with a resounding 6-1 victory over Serie B side Sassuolo at the San Siro. The Rossoneri dominated from the outset, with Samuel Chukwueze's double strike in the first half setting the tone for a one-sided contest.

By the 23rd minute, Milan had already established an insurmountable 4-0 lead, courtesy of Chukwueze's brace, supplemented by goals from Tijjani Reijnders and Rafael Leao. This early onslaught effectively sealed the win, paving the way for Milan's progression to the last eight.

The pace of the game slowed after halftime, but AC Milan's dominance persisted. They extended their lead in the 56th minute, with Davide Calabria scoring their fifth goal, putting the match further out of Sassuolo's reach.

Sassuolo managed to find some solace, scoring a consolation goal three minutes later through Samuele Mulattieri. However, Milan's Tammy Abraham sealed the victory, adding a sixth goal in the 61st minute to complete the rout.

Samuel Chukwueze broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, capitalizing on Tijjani Reijnders' precise long ball that sent him one-on-one with the goalkeeper. After his initial effort ricocheted off the post, Chukwueze calmly tapped in the rebound to give AC Milan the lead.

The advantage was doubled five minutes later, courtesy of Reijnders' powerful shot from outside the box. Chukwueze then scored his second goal in the 21st minute, expertly curling a shot beyond the goalkeeper's reach after receiving a clever lay-off from Tammy Abraham. Two minutes later, Rafael Leao added to the tally, firing a powerful shot into the far corner following a clever no-look pass from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca made significant changes to his lineup, with eight starters from the 3-0 win over Empoli replaced. At halftime, Fonseca introduced four substitutes, further emphasizing the squad's depth and flexibility as they continued to dominate Sassuolo.

Christian Pulisic, one of Milan's halftime substitutes, played a crucial role in the fifth goal. His lofted cross into the box rebounded off the post, and Davide Calabria reacted swiftly, capitalizing on the opportunity to score.

Sassuolo finally found consolation through Samuele Mulattieri's effort, which slipped under Milan goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani, also a halftime substitute. However, AC Milan sealed the victory with Tammy Abraham's goal, calmly slotting past Sassuolo keeper Giacomo Satalino to complete the 6-1 rout.

AC Milan will now face the winner of the AS Roma vs. Sampdoria last-16 tie in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, setting up a promising matchup in the competition.