MATCH REPORT | Cagliari-Lecce 0-2
Lecce defeated Cagliari 2-0 with goals from Gandelman and Ramadani. This was the Rossoblu’s second consecutive defeat after a run of three wins.
The game got off to a slow start, with both teams playing cautiously and studying each other for a long time. Pavoletti (11′) attempted a header from Esposito’s corner, but it missed the target. Cagliari appeared more dynamic and enterprising, while Lecce’s first attempt came in the 23rd minute through Cheddira, who fired a shot but was easily saved by Caprile. Ramadani intercepted Esposito’s run and played it to Sottil, who, completely free in the box (28′), wasted the opportunity by firing over.
Cagliari responded with Palestra, who pushed down the right and set the attack in motion: Zappa attempted a pass (38′) after a scramble, but the ball went wide. Zappa was blocked again immediately afterward and earned a corner. The Sardinians continued to press down the right flank: Zappa crossed for Soulemana, who headed the ball wide.
The second half started evenly, but in the 12th minute, Caprile saved Cagliari by deflecting Cheddira’s header off a Coulibaly cross. Lecce took the lead in the 19th minute: Sottil took a free kick from the three-quarter line, and Gandelman rose to head it home, with the Sardinian defense and Caprile both holding their ground. Cagliari attempted to respond with Obert’s header from a corner, but the ball went just over the crossbar.
But in the 31st minute, the second goal came: Ramadani created a splendid goal, unleashing a shot from a very difficult angle after Coulibaly won a challenge on Soulemana. VAR confirmed the goal was legal. Cagliari, furious, surged forward. Esposito found Trepy, but Ndaba intervened at the last second and deflected the ball into a corner. Di Francesco covered himself by deploying all available defenders and switching to a 4-5-1, with four central defenders and the full-backs deployed as wide midfielders. Soulemana attempted a shot from 20 meters, Falcone remained immobile, but the ball went wide. It was the last gasp: there was no time left to come back. Lecce won.
SCOREBOARD
CAGLIARI: Caprile; Zappa (11′ st Mazzitelli), Zé Pedro, Mina, Obert (32′ st Trepy); Adopo, I. Sulemana; Palestra, S. Esposito, Idrissi; Pavoletti (11′ st Kiliçsoy).
In panchina: Sherri, Ciocci, Juan Rodríguez, Raterink, Albarracín, Dossena, Liteta, Mendy, Cogoni.
Allenatore: Pisacane.
LECCE: Falcone; Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Ramadani, L. Coulibaly (47′ st Fofana); Pierotti (41′ st Ngom), Gandelman (41′ st Siebert), Sottil (35′ st Ndaba); Cheddira (35′ st Štulic).
In panchina: Früchtl, Samooja, Sala, N’Dri, Helgason, Jean, Marchwinski, Kovac.
Allenatore: Di Francesco.
REFEREE: Feliciani di Teramo.
GOALS: 19′ st Gandelman, 31′ st Ramadani.
NOTES: Presente in tribuna il designatore degli arbitri di Serie A, Gianluca Rocchi. Prima della partita il capitano del Cagliari, Leonardo Pavoletti, ha consegnato un mazzo di fiori in Curva Nord per ricordare Valery Melis, il tifoso scomparso nel febbraio 2004. Sempre prima della partita l’ex calciatore rossoblù, Antonio “Tonino” Congiu, tra i protagonisti della prima storica promozione in A del Club, ha ricevuto una speciale maglia celebrativa per festeggiare i suoi 90 anni, compiuti di recente.
Spettatori: 16.133. Nessun ammonito. Angoli: 8-3. Recupero: 1′ pt, 5′ st.
