It was classic Zemanlandia in the Coppa Italia, as Cagliari beat Modena on penalties after a 4-4 draw.
Zdenek Zeman, Cagliari's Czech Coach, is known for his love of attack and disdain for defending, and his side served up a thrilling encounter against their lower league opponents.
It was classic Zemanlandia in the Coppa Italia, as Cagliari beat Modena on penalties after a 4-4 draw.
Zdenek Zeman, Cagliari's Czech Coach, is known for his love of attack and disdain for defending, and his side served up a thrilling encounter against their lower league opponents.
Modena took the lead on six minutes, with Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno turning the ball into his own net. The Canarini held their lead for the next 40 minutes, going into the break with the advantage.
If the first half had been light on action, the same could not be said of the second, Daniele Conti equalising for the home side from the spot on 59 minutes.
Less than 10 minutes later Davide Luppi put the visitors back in the lead, and the Serie B side looked on course for an unlikely victory before Samuele Longo broke their hearts with a 90th minute equaliser.
Uruguayan forward Pablo Granoche then put the away side in dreamland again in extra time, before another Longo effort tied things up once again.
Modena were given a penalty of their own in the 109th minute, Granoche dispatching the spot-kick to put Cagliari on the brink of elimination.
Zeman’s men showed their mettle though, incredibly equalising for a fourth time with just one minute of added time left to play when Diego Farias breached the Modena defence.
The match had already seen a penalty apiece, and it was spot kicks which would decide this contest.
Modena once again had the opportunity to progress, but saw the crucial penalty saved by Cragno. The Cagliari goalkeeper was to be the hero in sudden death, saving the what proved to be the final penalty to see his side through.
The Sardinians will now face an away day at Parma in the next round.
Cagliari 4 – 4 Modena (Cagliari win 5-4 on penalties)
Cragno OG 6 (M), Conti pen 59 (C), Luppi 68 (M), Longo 90, 101 (C), Granoche 98, pen 109 (M), Farias 119 (C)
Cagliari: Cragno; Balzano (Longo, 81), Ceppitelli, Rossettini, Murru; Dessena (Crisiteg, 73), Conti, Joao Pedro; Caio (Farias, 36), Cossu, Ibarbo.
Modena: Manfredini; Osuji, Cionek, Marzorati, Rubin; Nardini, Schiavone (Martinelli, 58), Signori, Luppi (Gatto, 77); Granoche, Beltrame (Nizzetto, 69)