Defeat for Cagliari at Genoa
Defeat for Cagliari at the “Luigi Ferraris” against Genoa. The Ligurians closed it out in the first half with Thornsby and Frendrup, then chiseled it off early in the second half with Gudmunsson.
CHOICES
With so many unavailabilities, Ranieri makes a virtue of necessity and chooses the trio Hatzidiakos-Wieteska-Obert in defense; media with Di Pardo, Deiola, Prati, Augello; Gaetano and Oristanio support Shomurodov.
DOUBLE RING OF THE GRYPHON
An intense and balanced start to the match, the first thrills come just before the quarter hour with two headers off: Vogliacco from a corner action and Shomurodov on a restart with Di Pardo’s cross. But on 16 minutes Thornsby unlocks: cross from the right, framing the former Sampdoria player and 1-0. Red-blue reaction that did not materialize, however, in the 27th minute Frendrup doubled on Vazquez’s side ball: open right-footer at the second post and nothing to do. In the 35th minute it was Wieteska who hit a header on development from a side free kick, ball high. The end of the half is all Cagliari’s; in the closing minutes Deiola frames from a corner kick but no one finds the right deflection at the second post. At rest it is 2-0 Ligurian.
REACTION DOES NOT COME
The start of the second half is all Cagliari, also fielding Lapadula and Nandez for Oristanio (injured) and Di Pardo, but the right chance does not come. In the 53rd minute it is Thornsby in photocopy action to that of the lead to engage Scuffet. In the 57th minute De Winter soars on a side free kick, ball wide. Penalty for Shomurodov in the 58th minute, dueling with Vazquez in the Genoa area. Opportunity on the hour mark for Lapadula, who header smashes but does not find the goal on Augello’s corner. The goal came in the 64th minute to make it 3-0: the rebound rewarded Gudmunsson, who from one-on-one with Scuffet did not forgive.
FINAL MINUTES
Cagliari pushes in search of the goal that could restore hope, Obert takes a blow to the face by hitting a header in the opponent’s box in the 70th minute. Shortly afterwards it is Azzi (who just entered) who strikes with his left hander but the ball ends up just wide. Genoa controlled, Cagliari tried but it was not evening, Kingstone tried but only found the outside of the net. In closing Scuffet saves with his foot on Retegui. It ends 3-0, Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the Unipol Domus against Lecce a hot challenge to get closer to the salvation goal.
SCOREBOARD
GENOA: Martinez; Vogliacco, De Winter, Vasquez (29′ st Cittadini); Sabelli (19′ st Spence), Thorsby, Badelj (19′ st Bohinen), Frendrup, Martin (19′ st Haps); Gudmundsson (33′ st Vitinha), Retegui. (A disp: Leali, Sommariva, Pittino, Papadopoulos, Strootman, Ankeye, Ekuban). All.: Gilardino.
CAGLIARI: Scuffet; Hatzidiakos (1′ st Zappa), Wieteska, Obert; Di Pardo (1′ st Nandez), Deiola, Prati, Augello (40′ st Kingstone); Gaetano; Shomurodov (28′ st Azzi), Oristanio (1′ st Lapadula). (A disp.: Radunovic, Makoumbou, Aresti, Sulemana, Petagna, Mina) All.: Ranieri.
REFEREE: F. Dionisi from L’Aquila
GOALS: 17′ fh Thorsby (G), 27′ fh Frendrup (G); 18′ sh Gudmundsson (G).
