Fear of winning, ‘Serie A pride’. The challenge between Cagliari and Salernitana is all here with the Sardinians who in the end manage to get their hands on the three points up for grabs but, what an effort. 4 to 2 is the final result of a match that already seemed to be over after the first 45 minutes, those in which Salernitana was practically not seen on the pitch and Cagliari – attacking – had scored 2 goals in the bag (Lapadula on 12th ‘ and Gaetano at 40’).
LaPresse
Italian Serie A football championship, celebration by Gianluca Gaetano
Liverani, the Granata coach, will have scolded his boys in the changing rooms of the Domus Arena, and will have asked for character and skill. So a different team took to the pitch, capable of worrying Cagliari and, at the same time, fueling dreams of glory, at least for 10 minutes (between the 50th and 60th minute) thanks to two goals that put the match back in the balance on Sardinian land.
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Italian Serie A football championship, Cagliari vs Salernitana, goal by Eldor Shomurodov
The news. Cagliari immediately took the lead: Lapadula scored, validated after consulting VAR, in the 12th minute. Another opportunity for the Sardinians in the 19th minute with Jankto, who just goes out. Cagliari doubles the lead in the 39th minute, Gaetano scores. In the sixth minute of the second half Cagliari scores again, Shomurodov finding the net. Salernitana closes the gap with Kastanos in the 56th minute: the Granata regain courage in a match that already seemed closed and close the gap again in the 58th minute with Maggiore heading. Double by Shomurodov who takes advantage of a duck from the Granata defense and scores in the 75th minute. In the 40th minute, however, Nandez’s counterattack for Gaetano who enters the area, beats Zanoli and beats Ochoa: 2-0. In the second half, in the 5th minute, Zappa appears behind Zanoli but fails to deflect on goal after a free kick from Nandez. Two minutes and the trio arrives. Fazio gives the ball to Augello who sees the insertion of Shomurodov who shoots, Ochoa rejects but can do nothing on the tap-in of the same rossoblù attacker. In the 10th minute, Zanoli crosses to Kastanos who, in a split, puts it in. Two minutes and Maggiore, following a Candreva corner, heads the ball to make it 3-2. Scuffet saves from a cross from Kastanos then Shomorudov steals the ball from Fazio, enters the area, jumps the Argentine, Ochoa blocks but, following the Mexican’s rebound, the Uzbek deposits the ball in the bottom of the bag for the final 4-2.
Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse
Cagliari-Salernitana
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Italian Serie A football championship, Cagliari vs Salernitana, goal by Eldor Shomurodov
The scoreboard
CAGLIARI (4-2-3-1): Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Dossena, Augello (32′ st Wieteska sv); Deiola, Makoumbo; Nandez (20′ st Viola), Gaetano (1′ st Shomurodov), Jankto (20′ st Azzi); Lapadula (20′ st Oristanio). On the bench: Radunovic, Aresti, Prati, Hatzidiakos, Obert, Kingstone, Di Pardo. Coach: Ranieri
SALERNITANA (4-3-2-1): Ochoa; Zanoli (29′ st Sambia sv), Manolas (1′ st Pirola), Fazio, Bradaric; Coulibaly (29′ st Gomis), Maggiore, Kastanos (41′ st Basic); Candreva, Tchaouna; Weissman (20′ st Simy). On the bench: Costil, Allocca, Pasalidis, Pellegrino, Ferrari, Legowski, Martegani, Vignato, Ikwuemesi. Coach: Liverani
REFEREE: Fourneau of Rome
GOALS: 12′ pt Lapadula, 40′ pt Gaetano, 7′ st Shomurodov, 10′ st Kastanos, 12′ st Maggiore, 31′ st Shomurodov. NOTE: spectators 16,500. Booked: Augello, Kastanos, Sambia. Corners: 4-4. Recovery: 1′,