Serie A

Serie A | Cagliari 1-2 Lazio: Aquile soar to victory in Sardinia

February 4, 2025

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Serie A | Cagliari 1-2 Lazio: Aquile soar to victory in Sardinia

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 03: Mattia Zaccagni of Lazio scores his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari and SS Lazio at Sardegna Arena on February 03, 2025 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Mattia Zaccagni and Taty Castellanos gave Lazio a precious victory away to Cagliari, despite the Roberto Piccoli towering header.

The Biancocelesti were coming off back-to-back defeats against Fiorentina and SC Braga, although the latter was painless as they still won the Europa League opening phase. Matteo Guendouzi shook off flu symptoms, but Nuno Tavares, Patric, Matias Vecino and Manuel Lazzari were still injured, while coach Marco Baroni sat out a touchline ban. Zito Luvumbo and Giuseppe Ciocci missed out for the hosts, who had seven points from three rounds until the 2-0 loss at Torino.

Nicolas Viola saw his low scorcher from distance palmed round the upright by Ivan Provedel in the opening minutes, then a ball was whipped across the six-yard box from the right, Roberto Piccoli diving in just unable to get the decisive contact.

Lazio had the ball in the net when Niccolò Rovella’s cross was knocked down by Sebastiano Luperto and Yerry Mina’s clearance hit Boulaye Dia from point-blank range to loop up over Elia Caprile, but the goal was disallowed by VAR for handball.

The deadlock was broken just before half-time when Elseid Hysaj got down the right and pulled a ball across, going past Dia for Mattia Zaccagni to turn in from six yards, getting in front of Gabriele Zappa.

Cagliari came close within 10 seconds of the restart, Piccoli flicking on a cross for Nadir Zortea’s volley to skim the upright.

Michel Adopo then blasted over from a promising position after a dummy sent Mario Gila to ground and the pressure paid off when the Sardinians equalised.

Viola swung in a corner to the back post, where Piccoli scored with a free header, but Lazio protested that Yerry Mina got into a tangle with Gila to create that space.

epa11873553 Cagliari's Roberto Piccoli scores the 1-1 equalizer during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari Calcio vs SS Lazio at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari, Italy, 03 February 2025. EPA-EFE/FABIO MURRU — epa11873553 Cagliari’s Roberto Piccoli scores the 1-1 equalizer during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari Calcio vs SS Lazio at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari, Italy, 03 February 2025. EPA-EFE/FABIO MURRU

The visitors fought back immediately, Gustav Isaksen breaking down the right and feeding Taty Castellanos to force a difficult save out of Caprile at the near post, then on the resulting corner the goalkeeper palmed away the Alessio Romagnoli header.

There was more bad news for Lazio, as Elseid Hysaj pulled up clutching the back of his thigh and added to the injury list.

Nonetheless, the visitors restored their advantage when Dia nodded down a cross at the far post for Castellanos to fire in unmarked from seven yards.

Rovella’s through ball released Zaccagni clear on goal, his angled drive fingertipped wide at full stretch by Caprile to keep Cagliari in the game.

The goalkeeper did the same moments later to deny Isaksen on a similar move, but Cagliari started piling on the pressure in the final minutes as Lazio’s Europa League fatigue started to show.

Alessandro Deiola’s deflected effort whistled just wide, then Leonardo Pavoletti blasted over from the edge of the box, but Lazio held on for the win.