MATCH REPORT | Monza-Cagliari 1-2
Cagliari won 2-1 at Monza, staging a comeback after an early penalty by Caprari put them at a disadvantage. Goals by Zortea and Piccoli secured the victory.
THE CHOICES
Nicola opts for the usual 4-4-2 formation, with Viola supporting Piccoli, and Zortea and Felici on the wings. In front of goalkeeper Scuffet, the defense consists of Zappa, Mina, Luperto, and Obert. In midfield, Makoumbou and Adopo.
IMMEDIATE EMOTIONS
Cagliari came out strong right from the start, with a corner won by Zortea. From the flag, Viola found Mina, who headed the ball on for Felici, but his shot hit the crossbar. In the 5th minute, Monza took the lead: a penalty was awarded for a handball by Makoumbou, and Caprari slotted the ball into the corner despite Scuffet’s attempt to save it. Cagliari dominated possession but couldn’t break through, creating several shots on goal and crossing opportunities. However, in the 22nd minute, they equalized: another well-worked move, with Zortea curling in a fantastic left-footed shot from the edge of the box, scoring a brilliant and well-deserved goal. The match continued with Cagliari controlling the play and Monza trying to respond, but the excitement dwindled as the game went on.
PICCOLI-GOAL
The second half started without any substitutions, in the cold, damp conditions of the Brianteo stadium. However, Cagliari controlled the game, and in the 57th minute, Piccoli received the ball on the edge of the box from Obert (who made a brilliant defensive recovery) and powered it into the net. Shortly after, another counterattack, with Viola shooting from the edge, but the ball went wide. Just before that, in the 55th minute, Monza made two substitutions, replacing Sensi and Mota Carvalho with Djuric and Bianco. In the 63rd minute, another key moment: D’Ambrosio fouled Mina, who had fallen to the ground after a duel by the Cagliari corner flag, and Monza were reduced to ten men after the referee showed a red card to the former Inter defender.
CONVULSIVE FINISH
Cagliari made their first changes in the 75th minute: Piccoli and Felici were replaced by Lapadula and Augello. For Monza, Maldini and Akpa Akpro came on for Pereira and Bondo. In the 85th minute, Cagliari made another double substitution, with Marin and Pavoletti replacing Makoumbou and Viola. Monza also made a change, bringing on Martins for Caprari. Nothing major happened until the final minutes, when Lapadula sprinted away on another counterattack and hit the post. In the dying seconds, Scuffet had to punch a dangerous cross over the bar for a corner. The match ended 2-1, a crucial win for both morale and the standings.
