Juventus went into tonight's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Lazio needing a goal to have any chance of overturning Stefano Mauri's late strike in last week's 1-1 draw.
Lazio seized the initiative through Alvaro Gonzalez but Arturo Vidal brought Antonio Conte's side level in stoppage time.
Deep into eight minutes of injury time Sergio Floccari headed home to put Vladimir Petkovic's team into the final at Juve's expense.
Look back a remarkable end to the tie with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good evening Italian football fans and welcome to tonight's Coppa Italia decider between Juventus and Lazio at the Olimpico. All the pressure is on Antonio Conte's side tonight after Stefano Mauri's late equaliser in last week's first leg. They must score to keep the tie alive, otherwise Vladimir Petkovic's side will progress to the final.
Juve dominated the first leg at home but a late lapse in concentration has their backs against the wall this evening. Both sides suffered disappointing results in Serie A last weekend but league form will quickly be forgotten with a win in tonight's semi-final second leg.
BREAKING TEAM NEWS: A huge piece of team news has reached us from Rome and influential Juve midfielder Andrea Pirlo has made a surprise recovery from injury to start for the visitors tonight.
Lazio have important selection new of their own and striker Miroslav Klose will start for the home side despite missing the last three matches with a thigh injury.
It seems Pirlo's return from the start was a false alarm, I can only apologise but it seems the official Juventus Twitter account has produced a red herring. Here are tonight's starting XI's for both sides.
LAZIO XI: Marchetti, Konko, Biava, Ciani, Dias, Radu, Hernanes, Ledesma, Mauri, Gonzalez, Klose
JUVENTUS XI: Storari, Barzagli, Marrone, Bonucci, Isla, Giaccherini, Padoin, Peluso, Vidal, Vucinic, Giovinco
Pirlo has only been considered fit enough for a place on the Juve bench so Giaccherini and Vidal continue in central midfield. Paul Pogba has been dropped in favour of Simone Padoin.
Despite scoring against Genoa on Sunday Fabio Quagliarella has lost his place to Mirko Vucinic as Juve go in search of the goal they need to progress. He starts in attack alongside Sebastian Giovinco with Federico Peluso keeping his place after scoring in last week's first leg.
Lazio have Klose back leading the line with Mauri and Hernanes providing support an advanced midfield position. Candava has lost his place at full back to Stefan Radu despite an impressive performance at the Juve Arena last week.
Surprisingly Petkovic has resisted the temptation to recall Antonio Candreva in central midfield, with Cristian Ledesma keeping his place.
A quick head count shows just us how unimpressed Conte was with last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Genoa. In total the Juve boss has made seven changes in an effort to find a response and keep the treble dream alive in Turin.
PREDICTION! Before the team's take the field it's time for me to make a prediction. At the risk of jinxing what promises to be an exciting tie I expect to see goals at both ends but think Juve will have enough to match last season's final appearance by winning at the Olimpico tonight.
A reminder that the aggregate score ahead of tonight's second leg is 1-1 and Lazio have the advantage of an away goal. Juve must score to have any chance of progressing, simply put a Lazio clean sheet will put Petkovic's side in the final. Expect to see the visitors press the action with Lazio playing on the counter.
We are slightly late getting underway at the Olimpico with referee Luca Banti trying to hurry the players through their pre-match routines. The Olimpico has come to life tonight and more than 50,000 are expected to be in attendance this evening.
Juve kick off in a changed all-black strip shooting from right to left. Giaccherini has taken up a position on the left-hand side with Luca Marrone playing a holding role in midfield which is a slight surprise.
Giaccherini is involved from the outset and puts Marchetti under pressure after a poor pass from Konko to win Juve's first corner of the match. Giovinco then does well on the flank to make it two corners in less than three minutes but Lazio clear both times with relative ease.
YELLOW CARD! Giaccherini is booked early on for a silly tackle. More worryingly for the visitors Arturo Vidal is down injured following a tussle with Andre Dias and looks in a great deal of discomfort.
Vidal has recovered and is back on for Juve but Conte stills looks annoyed with Giaccherini for lunging in on Klose to get booked after just five minutes. He may regret that caution later in the match.
Juve have just had a huge penalty appeal turned down and are furious. Vuncini peels in behind Ciani and touches the ball away from Marchetti before going down under the keeper's challenge. Banti has a lengthy discussion with his linesman but decides to wave away the striker's angry protests.
Giovinco has too much skill for Gonzales out wide and draws a rash challenge to win a dangerous free kick. He has a packed penalty area full of players but elects to shoot and blazes high and wide from a tight angle. A poor decision there from the talented young forward.
After a sloppy start Lazio finally enjoy a period of possession in the final third through Hernanes and Klose but the Brazilian playmaker throws himself to the ground in the area and his tame shout for a penalty is quickly dismissed.
Juve have to score and have down pace and purpose in their early play. Giovinco and Vucinic look lively but a tad isolated without the advanced runs of Marchisio or Pogba.
The visitors are pressing high and forcing the referee into a busy evening's work with some robust challenges. Isla is the latest player to require treatment after being caught late by Klose.
Vucinic buys a cheap foul from Dias for holding and takes it quickly to play Giaccherini into a dangerous position. The winger looks to let fly but is stopped by Dias who atones for his error with a brilliant late block.
After a frantic start the match has calmed down in the last few minutes and settled into a pattern with Juve controlling possession but failing to work Marchetti with shots on goal.
Juve create their best opening of the match as Isla bursts down the right to cross to Giovinco but a brave dive by Marchetti sees the Lazio keeper stop a tap-in from close range.
YELLOW CARD! Isla joins Giaccherini in the book for a needless late lunge on Radu. That means both Juventus wing-backs have picked up a caution less than 30 minutes into the match.
YELLOW CARD! Lazio have a legitimate penalty claim turned down after Klose goes down under a challenge from Isla. Juve break quickly and a cynical challenge by Konko breaks up play and earns the home side their first caution of the night.
Mauri gets involved for the first time and beats Isla with ease but is eventually crowded out Barzagli and rare chance for the home side is quickly snuffed out.
Juve are struggling to break down the hosts and Ledesma and Hernanes have started to take control in the battle for midfield supremacy. These are worrying signs for Conte's side, who must score tonight to stay in the competition.
Juve launch a counter through Isla but Dias puts a stop to their attack by steaming through the back of Vucinic. Referee Banti has booked three players for less already tonight but decides the defender only deserves a warning for his challenge.
Vucinic finds Isla who spreads wide to Padoin but the winger checks back onto his right foot and a chance to cross is lost when Konko covers to block.
Hernanes tries an ambitious lofted pass that nearly finds Klose before a fine interception by Barzagli prevents the prolific German from claiming the ball. Giovinco get a lucky break up the other end but takes too long to make a decision and is held up by Dias. The game is definitely opening up just before the break.
Juve finish the first half on top but once again Konko is equal to a clever turn from Vucinic. Lazio have defended strongly throughout the opening period and know a clean sheet will guarantee them a place in the Coppa Italia final.
CHANCE! The visitors finally test Marchetti just before the break through Vucinic, who shoots straight at the Lazio keeper instead of passing to Giovinco in space across goal. A big chance missed for Juve to make the breakthrough.
CHANCE! Giovinco turns brilliantly inside Konko but with the goal at his mercy the diminutive forward scuffs a tame shot into the arms of a grateful Marchetti. Two chances spurned inside a minute before the interval for Conte's side.
HALF-TIME Lazio (1)0-0(1) Juventus
Juve shaded possession, territory and chances in the first 45 minutes but have failed to get the goal they so desperately need. Conte will be livid his side were not awarded an early penalty after Marchetti brought down Vucinic without winning the ball in the first half's most controversial moment.
Lazio have failed to supply the returning Klose with any meaningful service in the first half but did stay compact and defend well as team for much of the opening period.
A reminder that Juve must score in the second half or Lazio will keep the chances of an all-Rome Coppa Italia final alive. The reigning Serie A champions may have to call on Andrea Pirlo or strike duo Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri fairly quickly to help them make a vital breakthrough.
The players are making their way back out with Lazio 45 minutes away from qualifying. It will be interesting to see how long Klose is able to play after missing the last three weeks with a thigh strain.
Lazio get us back underway but almost immediately Giaccherini wins back possession for the visitors who are pressing the action from the outset.
Marrone plays a ball round the corner for Giovinco but the forward's first touch lets him down and allows Ciani to clear his lines. Juve are trying to pressure Lazio very high up the field and will be open to the counter throughout this second half.
Lazio get players forward and after some find work from Klose they have a chance to work a shot on goal. Gonzales picks up the ball out wide but with a box full of players decides to go for glory and smashes wide from a tight angle.
YELLOW CARD! Vidal hacks down Ciani and his caution means he will definitely miss the final.
GOAL! Lazio 1-0 Juventus (Gonzales)
The home side gets numbers forward with purpose and take the lead through Alvaro Gonzales, who meets a wonderful cross by Hernanes to guide a diving header home at the far post. Juve look stunned and are edging ever closer the Coppa Italia exit door.
Juve have an embarrassment of riches on the bench and need to call upon them to keep their dream of a domestic double alive. They have started slowly in the second half and a superb header from Gonzales means they must score to earn extra time as things stand.
Vucinic is clear in the area and looks destined to score before an offside flag has Conte raging on the touchline. Lazio may be in the driving seat but a single goal can still change the tie at a moment's notice.
We have an extended delay to proceedings and a considerable amount of blood after Hernanes clashed heads with Marrone in central midfield. The Brazilian playmaker has come off worst and looks to have a deep cut on his head.
SUBSTITUTION: Lazio have withdrawn Hernanes immediately as Lulic is hurried onto the field. He looks dazed and confused as he leaves the field and will need lengthy treatment to stem the flow of blood from his forehead.
Giaccherini drives into the final third with pace and purpose and tries to find Giovinco, who wants a penalty after claiming he was impeded by Dias. The ball breaks loose in the area and again Giovinco does down under a challenge from Ciani. The referee takes his time to make both decisions but decides neither incident warrants a spot kick.
SUBSTITUTION: Juve bring on Pirlo for his first action of 2013 as he replaces Padoin. Conte's first change of the night but has it come too late?
TWO SUBSTITUTIONS: Lazio swap Klose for Floccari and Juve respond in kind by introducing Marchisio to make attacking runs from midfield. He replaces Marrone despite suffering from illness for much of the past seven days.
Pirlo's first involvement is to take a corner kick after a block by Dias on Isla in a wide area. The 33-year-old swings a cross high to the far post but Mauri's clearance sends the ball out for another corner on the other side.
The visitors are applying pressure but have struggled to break down a spirited Lazio defence all night. Conte has forwards on the bench and don't be surprised to see one or two of them shortly.
SUBSTITUTION: Conte must have heard me as he decides to throw on Quagliarella for Giaccherini with less than 15 minutes left. The forward has been heavily linked with a move to Lazio in this window and has a chance to show them why they should invest tonight.
Juve break quickly as Giovinco's long ball finds Vucinic in space down the right. He loses out to Biava and Lazio mount a counter at the other end. Floccari has a chance to make an instant impact but just outside the box his first touch is poor and allows Bonucci to make a crucial interception.
Pirlo wins a free kick around 30 yards from goal as we move into the final ten minutes. He decides to play it wide but Giovinco is wasteful out wide and allows Lazio to clear their lines easily. The forward wants a foul awarded but is instead given a yellow card for simulation.
Quaglirella smashes a shot well wide from distance but Juve quickly win back possession and cross through Giovinco into a dangerous area. Marchetti comes out to meet the ball and despite considerable pressure claims with a strong dive into the air.
YELLOW CARD! Lazio break and win a free kick for Bonucci's late lunge on Ledesma. The defender is annoyed with the decision but get a caution for his troubles.
SUBSTITUTION: Lazio run down the clock by withdrawing the goalscorer Gonzales and bringing on defensive midfielder Lorik Cana.
Cana gets involved immediately with a fine block to stop Peluso breaking clear out wide. Juve recycle possession and win a free kick deep in the final third for a block tackle on Vucinic.
Pirlo deceives the Lazio by spreading wide to Isla but his cross fails to beat the first defender and Juve have to settle for a corner. He crosses into the penalty area but Bonucci is judged to have fouled Ciani and Lazio escape danger with a free kick of their own. Meanwhile the fourth official has awarded a staggering six minutes of injury time!
GOAL! Lazio 1-1 Juventus (Vidal)
Incredible late drama at the Olimpico and its the man who will miss the final Vidal who has surely sent the match to extra time. The Chilean midfielder gambles on a long ball and steps inside Radu to slam home from close range. Game on!
GOAL! Lazio 2-1 Juventus (Floccari)
More late drama and Lazio have gone straight up the other end to surely book a place in the Coppa Italia final. Floccari rises highest from a corner kick to restore Lazio's lead.
Defending has gone right out the window in the final few minutes but somehow Marchisio has missed from just two yards to put Juve in the final on away goals. Giovinco had a shot saved by Marchetti but the rebound fell to Marchisio unmarked at the far post. The midfielder looked certain to score but managed to drag his effort wide. Have you ever seen stoppage time like this?
CHANCE! Juve have yet another chance in the eighth minute of stoppage but Vidal can only send Pirlo's cross wide of the far post with a header.
FULL-TIME Lazio 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)
A quite remarkable end to a pulsating semi-final second leg and two goals in stoppage time have seen Lazio knock Juventus out of the Coppa Italia. Arturo Vidal's late goal looked to have sent the match into extra time but with seconds left Sergio Floccari's header at the other end settled a superb tie. The dream of a domestic double is over for Antonio Conte.
That brings to an end our coverage of a quite brilliant cup tie at the Olimpico. Thanks for joining us at Sports Mole and be sure to check back in tomorrow night as Roma and Inter Milan fight for the right to meet Lazio in May's final.
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
