AS Roma stretched its unbeaten streak to 18 games with a 2-0 win over Udinese in the opening leg of the Italian Cup semifinals Thursday. Mirko Vucinic opened the scoring in the 12th minute at Stadio Olimpico and Philippe Mexes doubled the lead in the 40th. Inter Milan beat Fiorentina in the other semifinal Wednesday. The return legs are tentatively scheduled for April 14. Roma has not lost since getting beat 2-1 by Udinese in the Serie A on Oct. 28, compiling 15 wins and three draws in all competitions. Udinese eliminated AC Milan in the quarterfinals last week but the northern club was struggling in the Serie A, only one point clear of the relegation zone. Roma, which was tied for second in the league with Milan, took the lead when Vucinic collected a 50-meter pass from Daniele De Rossi, controlled the ball expertly and found the target with a precise shot after beating the offside trap. Mexes scored with a header from point-blank range following a cross from David Pizarro. Mexes exited in the 85th after an apparent bruise. Udinese midfielder Gaetano D'Agostino picked up a yellow card for a late, sliding tackle on Rodrigo Taddei in the 21st and will miss the return leg. Chelsea transfer ban lifted In Switzerland, sport's highest court ruled Thursday that a FIFA transfer ban on Chelsea signing players must be lifted. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Chelsea and French club Lens had reached an agreement in their dispute over teenager Gael Kakuta's move to England in 2007. CAS said the clubs agreed Kakuta did not have a valid contract with Lens and so could not have breached any rules when he joined Chelsea. “In light of these new circumstances, the sanctions imposed upon Chelsea and the player by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber had to be lifted,” CAS said in a statement. FIFA had barred Chelsea from conducting any transfer business until January 2011 - through two consecutive transfer windows - though that penalty was frozen by CAS in an interim ruling until it reached a final verdict. Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said the clubs had reached an “amicable resolution,” at the end of a case that had the potential to severely damage coach Carlo Ancelotti's squad-building plans. “We are pleased to have come to an amicable resolution of the matter and that it has been ratified by CAS and recognized by FIFA,” Buck said. “It was always our intention to work together with Lens to reach this end, and both clubs have strengthened their relationship as a result of resolving this case to everyone's satisfaction.” Thursday's CAS ruling also frees Chelsea of a FIFA order to pay Lens $1.07 million in compensation. However, Buck said Chelsea would pay a $179,000 fee to Lens which had been ordered by FIFA to reimburse the French club's costs in nurturing Kakuta. Kakuta, a France youth international, is now cleared of the threat of serving a four-month ban which had been ordered by FIFA. Sevilla gains upper hand Sevilla beat Getafe 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals with a strike from Luis Fabiano and an own goal by Pedro “Mario” Alvarez Wednesday. Fabiano's looping header beat goalkeeper Oscar Ustari after Adriano crossed from the right in the 45th minute. The striker celebrated by putting a trilby hat on his head in tribute to club president Jose Maria del Nido. In the 80th, Jesus Navas sprinted outside Jose Manuel Jimenez and delivered a low cross which bounced in off defender Alvarez. Atletico Madrid hosts Racing Santander in the second semifinal Thursday. The return legs will be played next week. Getafe, finalist in 2007 and 2008, had most of the chances in the first half in wet conditions at Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, with Pedro Leon on the right of midfield repeatedly unnerving the host's defense. Manuel del Moral drew two saves in succession from Andres Palop early on and looked certain to score in the 27th as he slid in to meet Daniel Parejo's cross until Adriano made a last-ditch interception. Palop denied Getafe again when he stretched to get a hand to Franciso Casquero's shot from outside the area. The 2007 champion created chances on the break, however, with Jesus Navas and Diego Perotti a threat on the wings. In the 41st Ustari made a spectacular save from Fabiano's point-blank volley after Navas put the Fabiano through. Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez withdrew striker Alvaro Negredo after 36 minutes, replacing him with Koffi Romaric to bolster the midfield. Frederic Kanoute went on for the injured Fabiano in the 68th. Fabiano's goal settled Sevilla's nerves and the host took control in the last half hour.
