Palermo defeats Mantova 5-2 to reach Coppa Italia round of 16

Palermo has advanced to the round of 16 in the Coppa Italia after defeating Mantova 5-2 at the Barbera stadium. The match featured significant momentum shifts; Palermo initially took a 2-0 lead through goals from Gabriel Strefezza and Antonio Palumbo, but Mantova responded aggressively at the start of the second half, scoring twice via Ruocco and Kouda to level the match at 2-2.

Palermo eventually regained control through tactical substitutions by manager Filippo Inzaghi. Joel Pohjanpalo scored a brace to secure the victory, and Dennis Johnsen added a fifth goal late in the game. Following this win, Palermo is scheduled to face Bologna in the next round of the competition.

In post-match comments, Inzaghi noted that while the team showed resilience, the ten-minute blackout in the second half was a concern that must be addressed. Strefezza also expressed satisfaction with scoring his first goal for the club.