Nicolas Burdisso scored twice to help Inter Milan beat Sampdoria 3-0 in the Italian Cup first-leg semi-final on Wednesday.
Burdisso struck in the ninth and 56th minutes from close range for his third and fourth goals in the competition.
Argentine striker Hernan Crespo scored Inter's other with a header in the 24th.
The return leg is scheduled for Thursday, the third meeting between the two teams in eight days. Inter travel to Sampdoria in the Serie A on Sunday.
Also, in a rescheduled Serie A match, Catania beat Empoli 2-1 on goals by Fabio Caserta and Giuseppe Mascara to climb into fourth place in the standings.
Inter rested some of their first-team regulars but still fielded captain Javier Zanetti, Fabio Grosso, Figo, and Crespo.
Sampdoria. although unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the fourth minute after Inter defender Ivan Cordoba handled the ball in the area, struggled to trouble Inter goalkeeper Francesco Toldo.
Fabio Quagliarella had Sampdoria's three best chances to score just after the half-hour mark, but aimed straight at Toldo on each occasion.
Crespo almost added his second in the 48th off a pass by midfielder Santiago Solari but was tackled as he shot.
Solari also had a good chance to score in the 81st but blasted over from close range.
Elsewhere, midfielder Caserta put Catania ahead in the 52nd, prodding the ball past Empoli goalkeeper Daniele Balli, before Antonio Busce equalized with a header two minutes later.
Center forward Mascara scored the winner with a close-range bicycle kick in the 61st.
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