Home-grown talent Alessandro Deiola scored the winner against Sassuolo, a goal that may well help secure Cagliari’s Serie A status.
The Sardinians were increasingly desperate after five consecutive defeats, going into this game without Kevin Strootman, Nahitan Nandez and Adam Obert, with Edoardo Goldaniga and Luca Ceppitelli back on the bench. Sassuolo had Mert Muldur suspended, Domenico Berardi, Filippo Romagna, Pedro Obiang and Abdou Harroui injured.
There was a special guest in the stadium, legendary Cagliari striker Enzo Francescoli.
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Razvan Marin stung the goalkeeper’s gloves after four minutes, with Keita Balde Diao unable to get on the rebound, then Joao Pedro’s header flashed just wide of the near post.
Sassuolo lost Jeremy Toljan after 20 minutes when he dislocated his shoulder and was stretchered off in absolute agony.
Andrea Consigli needed a fingertip save to prevent Gian Marco Ferrari scoring an own goal with his header to anticipate Raoul Bellanova, while Alessandro Deiola only grazed a header at the back post, followed by Keita twice scuffing the rebound from six yards.
After another Keita error when clear on goal, Cagliari finally got the breakthrough they deserved. Marin’s cross from the right found Alessandro Deiola at full stretch to volley in at the back post from point-blank range, with very lax marking from Ruan Tressoldi. It was the perfect way to mark his 100th appearance for the club.
Moments later, Joao Pedro also scored with a fantastic diving header, but was flagged inches offside.
Straight after the restart, Hamed Junior Traore stung Alessio Cragno’s gloves at the near post, but Marin’s through ball sent Joao Pedro clear on goal, denied by a desperate Consigli save.
A ferocious Marko Rog half-volley from distance skimmed the crossbar and Filip Djuricic made his comeback after six months out with injury, but Ferrari made a decisive last-ditch tackle on Rog in the penalty area.
There were six minutes of fiery stoppages, during which Djuricic almost scored an own goal – rescued only by the upright on his ricochet – and Cragno flew to grab an acrobatic Giacomo Raspadori half-volley out from under the bar.
Cagliari 1-0 Sassuolo
Deiola 42 (C)
No Berardi, no party.