Leonardo Pavoletti gave Cagliari the edge in a very entertaining Coppa Italia clash with Palermo, setting up a tie against Chievo.
The Sardegna Arena crowd was given a show on a balmy August evening in the Third Round encounter.
There were numerous chances for both sides, but Pavoletti broke through when redirecting a deflected Luca Cigarini strike.
Serie B outfit Palermo got back on level terms from the penalty spot with Ilija Nestorovski.
Leonardo Pavoletti gave Cagliari the edge in a very entertaining Coppa Italia clash with Palermo, setting up a tie against Chievo.
The Sardegna Arena crowd was given a show on a balmy August evening in the Third Round encounter.
There were numerous chances for both sides, but Pavoletti broke through when redirecting a deflected Luca Cigarini strike.
Serie B outfit Palermo got back on level terms from the penalty spot with Ilija Nestorovski.
Unusually for the aerial specialist, Pavoletti completed a brace of goals with his left foot, a splendid control and volley from the long Lykogiannis pass.
The Sicilians thought they had equalised deep into stoppages, but Paolo Faragò denied Stefano Moreo’s header with a goal-line clearance.
Cagliari 2-1 Palermo
Pavoletti 31, 73 (C), Nestorovski pen 52 (P)