In the 4th round of Serie A, Cagliari showcased their dominance against Lecce in a thrilling match filled with twists. Lecce initially took the lead with a header from Tiago Gabriel just 4 minutes into the game. However, Cagliari responded brilliantly with Andrea Belotti changing the course of the match by scoring a goal from open play in the 32nd minute, followed by a penalty conversion in the 69th minute.
Cagliari almost went ahead just before halftime, but Sebastiano Esposito’s strike hit the post in the 45th minute, leaving them behind at the break.
Andrea Belotti was undoubtedly the star of the match, netting two goals and taking four shots on target against Lecce.
Defensively, Marco Palestra played a crucial role, helping to maintain Cagliari’s structure throughout the game.
Lecce’s coach, Eusebio Di Francesco, set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation with Wladimiro Falcone in goal; Christ-Owen Kouassi, Kialonda Gaspar, Tiago Gabriel, and Antonino Gallo in defense; Lassana Coulibaly, Ylber Ramadani, and Alex Sala in the midfield; and forward line consisting of Santiago Pierotti, Nikola Stulic, and Riccardo Sottil.
On the other hand, Cagliari, led by Fabio Pisacane, deployed a 4-5-1 formation with Elia Caprile guarding the net; a defensive line of Marco Palestra, Yerry Mina, Sebastiano Luperto, and Adam Obert; a midfield comprised of Michel Adopo, Matteo Prati, Michael Folorunsho, Alessandro Deiola, and Sebastiano Esposito; with Andrea Belotti as the lone striker.
The match was officiated by referee Luca Zufferli.
In the upcoming round, Lecce will host Bologna, while Cagliari is scheduled to face Inter at the Sardegna Arena.
Currently, Lecce sits at the bottom of the table with just 1 point, whereas Cagliari’s victory elevates them to 7 points, placing them fifth in the rankings.
Substitutions for Lecce
45’ 2T – Alex Sala out for Mohamed Kaba; Antonino Gallo out for Corrie Ndaba.
80’ 2T – Santiago Pierotti out for Konan NDri.
Bookings for Lecce:
19’ 1T – Tiago Gabriel; 26’ 1T – Lassana Coulibaly.
Substitutions for Cagliari
59’ 2T – Sebastiano Esposito out for Gianluca Gaetano; Riccardo Sottil out for Teté Morente.
60’ 2T – Matteo Prati out for Mattia Felici.
71’ 2T – Andrea Belotti out for Semih Kilicsoy.
72’ 2T – Michel Adopo out for Gabriele Zappa; Ylber Ramadani out for Francesco Camarda.
86’ 2T – Alessandro Deiola out for Luca Mazzitelli.
Bookings for Cagliari:
46’ 1T – Sebastiano Esposito; 13’ 2T – Matteo Prati; 43’ 2T – Adam Obert.