Serie A | Lecce 1-1 Cagliari: Sardinians snatch a point

Lecce will regret missed opportunities after fumbling a lead with Valentin Gendrey’s header, as goal-line technology confirmed the Cagliari equaliser.

The Salentini were relatively comfortable mid-table, but sliding down after back-to-back defeats to Inter and Atalanta, while the Sardinians remained in the bottom three. Hamza Rafia, Ahmed Touba, Lameck Banda and Zito Luvumbo were at the Africa Cup of Nations, plus Nicola Sansone, Kastriot Dermaku, Jakub Jankto, Gianluca Lapadula, Elio Capradossi, Eldor Shomurodov and Marko Rog injured.

It was an aggressive start from the visitors, Alberto Dossena nodding just wide after a series of early corners, but Remy Oudin thumped the base of the upright with a daisy-cutter after 15 minutes for Lecce.

The hosts broke the deadlock when Valentin Gendrey was allowed a completely free header from five yards on the Oudin corner kick.

Gaetano Oristanio failed to get his head to the Tommaso Augello cross at the back post, then Nikola Krstovic somehow failed to tap in from a yard, instead flashing across the face of goal, perhaps his blushes saved by an offside position.

There was another huge chance for Lecce on the stroke of half-time, as Antonino Gallo’s cross took a double deflection to drift just wide.

Gabriel Strefezza and Gallo couldn’t keep their finishes on target, while Krstovic’s header had no power to surprise Simone Scuffet.

Oristanio aimed a couple of efforts just wide and then got the equaliser in chaotic circumstances. Wladimiro Falcone thought he had made two stunning reaction saves in quick succession on Oristanio and the follow-up too, but goal-line technology showed it had already crossed over when Oristanio came sliding in to meet the free kick.

Falcone was decisive moments later, flying with one strong hand to push the Prati scorcher away, then Viola hit the woodwork directly from the corner flag.

Lecce 1-1 Cagliari

Gendrey 31 (L), Oristanio 68 (C)