Bologna took a commanding step towards the Coppa Italia final with a dominant 3-0 victory over Empoli in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday. Thijs Dallinga scored twice as the visitors outclassed their relegation-threatened opponents, moving closer to their first trophy in over 50 years.
Empoli, fresh from eliminating Juventus in a dramatic penalty shootout, struggled to match Bologna’s intensity. The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Jens Odgaard’s cross from the left found Riccardo Orsolini, who capitalized on defensive confusion to slot home the opener.
Bologna doubled their lead six minutes later as Dallinga latched onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Dan Ndoye to calmly finish. The duo combined again shortly after halftime, with Dallinga sliding in to convert Ndoye’s precise pass across goal.
Bologna, twice winners of the Coppa Italia, last lifted the trophy in 1974, but after this emphatic performance, their fans will be dreaming of a trip to Rome for the final in May. Empoli face a daunting task in the return leg on April 24 in Bologna, with the winner set to face either AC Milan or Inter Milan, who play their first leg on Wednesday.
