MILAN: Mirko Vucinic helped to send AS Roma into the Italian Cup semifinals with a superb goal to set up a 2-0 win at Juventus Thursday. The in-form Montenegro forward picked up the ball on the side of the area midway through the second half and effortlessly curled it into the far corner. Rodrigo Taddei added a second goal in added time with an acrobatic finish to ensure Roma progressed to meet holder Inter Milan in the last four. The bad-tempered encounter was riddled with fouls and injuries but Claudio Ranieri's side just about deserved to beat his former club with Simplicio also having a header saved. Juve piled on the pressure toward the end but never really came close to scoring despite fielding a strong side as they became the latest big club to play their top players in a previously unloved competition. Roma will play Inter in April and May's two-legged semifinals after Leonardo's side beat Napoli on penalties Wednesday. Serie A leader AC Milan takes on Palermo in the other semi after the pair got past Sampdoria and Parma respectively earlier this week. Liverpool rejects bid for Torres Liverpool has rejected a bid from English Premier League rival Chelsea for striker Fernando Torres ahead of the January transfer window closing Monday. Chelsea is in need of a new forward to help its faltering title defense after slipping from top to fourth in the standings, 10 points behind leader Manchester United. “Chelsea has made an offer for Fernando, which has been rejected,” Liverpool announced late Thursday. “The player is not for sale.” But Liverpool's American owner John Henry is not prepared to let his top player leave, with the team showing signs of a recovery since Kenny Dalglish returned to the manager's job at the start of the month. Consecutive victories have lifted Liverpool away from the relegation up to seventh — nine points behind Chelsea in the final Champions League qualification spot. The bid for Torres was put at $56 million by British media, although the World Cup-winning Spain striker has only found the net nine times for Liverpool since returning from South Africa. Torres joined Liverpool for a club-record $40.6 million in 2007 from Atletico Madrid.
