AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud scored his second brace in five days in a 4-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday, as the Rossoneri set up a Coppa Italia semi-final clash with rivals Inter in style, Reuters reports.
Rafael Leao fired Milan in front before Giroud struck from close range twice in the space of five minutes at the end of the first half.
It has been a great week for the France international, who scored twice in three second-half minutes to complete a 2-1 Milan derby victory over Inter in Serie A on Saturday.
Things got worse for Lazio when their top scorer Ciro Immobile limped off injured after the break, and their miserable night was completed when Franck Kessie fired home a late fourth.
"We took advantage of the derby win by gaining energy, trust and conviction. We deserved the win because the team was focused for 90 minutes," Milan coach Stefano Pioli told Mediaset.
The Rossoneri will face Inter, who knocked out AS Roma on Tuesday, in a two-legged semi-final on March 2 and April 20.
Fiorentina host Atalanta and Juventus face Sassuolo in the remaining quarter-finals on Thursday.
"Derbies are always very particular matches to prepare for, but they are very motivating," Pioli said.
"Both teams will want to win it, we will give everything against a very strong team."
Milan came into the game on a high after Giroud's Milan derby heroics, and they showed their clinical edge again by taking almost all their chances in the first half.
The hosts went in front with the first major opportunity of the game after 24 minutes, when Alessio Romagnoli played a through ball into Leao's path, who guided a shot past Pepe Reina.
The game came to life in the final five minutes of the first half when Giroud repeated his quick-fire heroics of a few days earlier.
Leao skipped into the box and teed up the 35-year-old for a tap-in, and five minutes later it was Theo Hernandez whose low cross found Giroud at the back post for another close-range finish.
Immobile's injury was a major blow to Lazio, as Serie A’s joint-top scorer limped off after taking a blow to his ankle.
Maurizio Sarri’s side were again careless in defence for Milan’s fourth with 11 minutes remaining, as they failed to clear their lines from a set piece and Kessie drilled home.
