EMPOLI, Italy (Reuters) -A Thijs Dallinga double helped Bologna to a 3-0 win at Empoli in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie on Tuesday, as the visitors remained on course to end their over 50-year wait to lift the trophy.
Empoli knocked out Juventus after a penalty shootout to reach their first ever semi-final, but this time the contrasting league form of both sides showed, as the relegation threatened hosts were outclassed by Champions League chasing Bologna.
Bologna took the lead in the 23rd minute when Jens Odgaard crossed from the left and while Dallinga attracted the attention of two defenders, the ball fell kindly to the unmarked Riccardo Orsolini who drove his first-time shot into the net.
The visitors doubled their advantage six minutes later with Dallinga tucking away a perfect throughball from Dan Ndoye and six minutes after the interval the pair combined again with Dallinga sliding in to finish off Ndoye's pass across goal.
Bologna, twice winners, last lifted the Coppa Italia in 1974, and after this emphatic win their fans will already be booking their trips to Rome for the final in May.
Empoli have a mountain to climb in the second leg in Bologna on April 24, and the winner will meet either AC Milan or Inter Milan, who play their semi-final first leg on Wednesday, in the final at the Stadio Olimpico.
(Reporting by Trevor StynesEditing by Toby Davis)
