Serie A's bottom side Catania played host to Siena this afternoon, with the victor knowing that they would advance through to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia.
The home team broke the deadlock early on through Sebastian Leto, but after that the tie belonged to the away side, who play their league football in the second tier.
Michele Paolucci drew them level, while second-half goals from Francesco Valiani, Nico Pulzetti and Valerio Rosseti sealed their spot in the last eight.
You can find out how the match unfolded with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon Italian football fans! So, the teams recently returned to league matters after the winter break and now the Coppa Italia resumes at the last 16 stage. Here we will be covering the tie between Catania and Siena.
Before we go any further, let's take a look at the team news, starting with the home side...
CATANIA XI: Andujar; Peruzzi, Legrottaglie, Gyomber, Capuano; Guarente, Lodi, Rinaudo; Leto, Maxi Lopez, Monzon
So, the home side will start this clash with three strikers, including former Barcelona and River Plate frontman Maxi Lopez. Elsewhere, 37-year-old Nicola Legrottaglie, who spent time with Juventus and AC Milan earlier in his career, has been included among the four-man defence.
And now for the visitors...
SIENA XI: Farelli; Dellafiore, Feddal, Matheu, Angelo; Giacomazzi, Valiani, Pulzetti, Rosina; Paolucci, Giannetti
Once dubbed a future key component of the Italian national team, winger Alessandro Rosina will start on the wing for Siena. Inside him will be Croatian Mato Milos, who is currently on loan from his homeland club HNK Rijeka.
This is Catania's first match in the competition due to the fact that they received Serie A ranking, but for Siena they are veterans. Back in August they knocked out Pisa and Livorno, before facing Bologna last month. The tie went into extra-time and penalties looked inevitable until Zouhair Feddal scored for the visitors in the final minute to secure their place in the last 16.
PREDICTION: Not long now until we get started, so let's have a stab at guessing the outcome of this tie. It must be said that neither side is pulling up many trees in the league, but anything can happen in cup football. The winner will be in the quarter-final, at which stage anything can happen. Let's go for an upset, with Siena winning 2-1.
Here come the players - not long now until we are off and running at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.
GAME ON! Right, Siena, attacking from right to left during the first half, get this Coppa Italia clash started.
SAVE! It's been a bright start by Siena, who have just had the first shot of the contest. Rosseti is the man who strikes the ball from a narrow angle, but Andujar gets his positioning correct and is able to palm clear the danger.
GOAL! CATANIA 1-0 SIENA (LETO)
What a strike that is from Leto! Lodi sees his free kick from the edge of the area strike the wall, but Leto collects the rebound and smashes the ball beyond the reach of a diving Farelli, who had no chance of stopping that. Leto once signed for Liverpool, but he never played for the Premier League club because of work permit issues. There's some of what the Merseysiders missed!
To be fair to the away side, they've refused to be rocked by that goal and have immediately set about trying to score an equaliser. Two dangerous crosses have been sent into the Catania area, but both were eventually cleared to safety.
Almost a nightmare moment for Siena goalkeeper Farelli, who scuffs his clearance straight to Lodi some 40 yards from goal. The Catania midfielder goes for the instant lofted shot, but his effort drifts just over the crossbar. Had he got his strike on target, Lamanna would have been struggling to keep it out.
CHANCE! Back up the other end, Siena are causing problems. Giannetti has been lively so far and he's just tried his luck with a powerful drive some 25 yards from goal, but the ball ends up drifting a foot wide of the Catania goal.
Aside from the goal, Catania have been largely disappointing. Lopez has cut a forlorn figure up front, with the majority of service aimed for him being overhit. Right now, despite the goal, you wouldn't be able to tell which of these sides played in Serie A and which was a Serie B team.
Leto has got some left foot on him, it must be said. On the right flank, he's just whipped a inward curling cross into the Siena area. Any sort of touch would have surely diverted the ball into the net, but somehow everybody managed to miss it.
GOAL! CATANIA 1-1 SIENA (PAOLUCCI)
Siena deserve that and it is a former Catania player that draws them level. Paolucci, who spent one season with the hosts back in 2008, ghosts into the penalty area and after the home side fail to clear the danger, the attacker fires the ball into the roof of the net.
There's a moment of confusion as Lopez hits the ground inside the area and immediately appeals for a penalty. The referee blows his whistle, but for an offside against the Argentine, rather than a spot kick. The former Barca striker is not happy with that and is letting the official know about it!
Still Siena are the dominant force, yet they are not creating too many opportunities. What they are doing well is keeping possession of the ball, which is frustrating the home faithful.
Siena's third corner of the match has just resulted in some pinball inside the Catania area, but the home team eventually make a clearance. If the match keeps going like this, Siena look as though they will win it. Catania need a bit more urgency about their play - everything about them is lethargic.
It would be fair to say that this tie is in a bit of a lull at the moment. Neither team are forging out chances or openings, with the game largely restricted to the midfield. The brightest spark was an overhead attempt by Leto, but he got it horribly wrong and the ball drifted well wide of the Siena goal.
HALF-TIME: CATANIA 1-1 SIENA
The referee decides that there should be no stoppage time and blows for the break, which prompts a large amount of jeers from the home supporters, who are not happy with what they have seen so far.
To be honest, you can understand the displeasure of the Catania fans. For most parts, their side has been dominated by a Serie B team. There has been little flow and urgency about their play, with Lopez struggling to get involved in proceedings as a lone striker. They need to provide the Argentine with more support. One plus point has been the performance of Leto, who has looked bright.
As for Siena, their coach Mario Beretta is bound to be largely happy with what he has seen. His side have looked threatening on occasions and have also appeared the more likely to score the tie's third, and perhaps decisive, goal. If they continue to play that way after the break, they have a really good chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! Catania get the match restarted and they have also made a substitution during the interval, with former Atletico Madrid midfielder Keko replacing Rinaudo.
There has not been much change to proceedings, with Siena still the dominant force despite finding it difficult to create chances. The introduction of Keko has not had much of an impact on Catania just yet.
SUBSTITUTION: The first change of the match for Siena sees Giannetti limp off and youngster Valerio Rosseti come on in his place.
GOAL! CATANIA 1-2 SIENA (VALIANI)
Catania have been committing too many errors today and now they have been punished. First they surrender possession and then when Rosina crosses from the left, Valiani is left all alone inside the area to glance a headed effort inside the far post. Home coach Luigi De Canio reacts by bringing on former AC Milan Kingsley Boateng in place of Guarente.
SAVE! Leto really is the one bright point as far as Catania are concerned. He's just drilled a shot goalwards from 20 yards out which appeared to be heading in, only for Farelli to turn it wide at the final moment.
OFF THE POST! Much better from Catania as Lodi picks out Keko inside the area with a lofted pass. The Spaniard's first touch opens up the chance for himself and he drills the ball towards the near post. Farelli gets down slowly, but he is saved by the base of the upright. Even so, that's much more positive from the home team.
BOOKING! The first booking of the tie goes to Siena's Angelo for a foul on Keko on the halfway line. The pint-sized attacker is starting to make things happen for Catania.
SAVE! Veteran defender Legrottaglie is not known for his prowess in front of goal, but he almost drew Catania level moments ago. The ball drops to his feet eight yards from goal, but in the action of shooting he loses his balance, which allows Farelli to get down and push the ball behind for a corner. Then, from that kick, Keko sees a powerful shot deflected over. Catania are starting to apply some pressure and not before time their fans will feel.
SAVE! Again Farelli comes to Siena's rescue, but he shouldn't have had the opportunity. Lopez plays the ball into the path of Leto, who looks as though he is going to score from close range. He hits his shot straight at the visiting keeper, though, and the chance is wasted.
SUBSTITUTION: Another alteration for Siena and it is Rosina that is coming off. The winger looked extremely tired and he has been replaced by the fresher Vergassola.
Credit to Siena, because over the last few minutes they appear to have weathered the Catania storm. They now look much more composed on the ball and are passing it around in a similar way to how they did during the first half. As a result, the Catania fans are not happy again!
SAVE! Valiani goes in search of his second goal of the tie and one that would surely secure the win. He rides two challenges and drills a low shot towards the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area. Andujar is equal to it, though, and gets down early to hold the ball.
CHANCE! That could be Catania's last opportunity to force extra-time and what a chance it was. Lopez swivels free from his marker inside the area and fires the ball across the face of the Siena goal. All Boateng has to do is make contact to score, but he doesn't slide in time and the away side scramble clear the danger.
SUBSTITUTION: An attempt to run down the clock from Siena as they make their third change of the clash, with Manchester City loanee Scapuzzi replacing goalscorer Paolucci.
GOAL! CATANIA 1-3 SIENA (PULZETTI)
Game, set and the match to Siena and they deserve it. Pulzetti is the scorer as he picks up possession midway inside the Catania half, before driving towards goal. He chances his foot 20 yards from goal and is rewarded when his effort flies into the top corner of the net.
GOAL! CATANIA 1-4 SIENA (ROSETTI)
Siena are really rubbing salt into the Catania wound now! This time it's Rosseti that gets his name on the scoresheet when he finds himself with time and space inside the area to lift the ball over an advancing Andujar. That's a really smart finish from the striker, which is met by a chorus of boos from the home supporters!
FULL TIME: CATANIA 1-4 SIENA
Catania threatened to mount a comeback during the second half, but two late goals seal Siena's place in the quarter-finals and deservedly so - they were much the better of the two teams over the 90 minutes. They will now face Fiorentina in the last eight of the competition.
That is all we have time for from the Stadio Angelo Massimino. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Liam Apicella
Liam Apicella
