Serie A | Lazio 2-0 Cagliari – Biancocelesti battle to three points against stubborn Sardinians – Football Italia

Lazio returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, thanks to Gustav Isaksen’s powerful second-half strike that finally broke the Sardinian resistance and a late goal from Mattia Zaccagni.

Maurizio Sarri’s side dominated possession throughout the first half but struggled to find a way past an inspired Elia Caprile.

The visiting goalkeeper produced a brilliant save to deny Adam Marušić’s curling effort and watched as Mattia Zaccagni and Toma Bašić both went agonisingly close from inside the box.

Cagliari, well-organised under Fabio Pisacane, carried a sporadic threat through Gianluca Gaetano and Michael Folorunsho, though Ivan Provedel was rarely troubled before the break.

After the restart, Lazio upped the tempo and were rewarded on 66 minutes.

Lazio wrap up narrow win over Cagliari in second half

Matteo Guendouzi teed up Isaksen on the edge of the area, and the Danish winger unleashed a thunderous shot into the bottom-left corner to make it 1-0. The Olimpico erupted as Isaksen celebrated his first Serie A goal of the season.

Cagliari threw men forward in the final quarter-hour, with substitute Mattia Felici delivering a series of dangerous crosses and Michel Adopo testing Provedel from range, but Lazio held firm.

Sarri introduced Pedro and Tijjani Noslin to add energy late on, and his side saw out the remaining minutes with composure.

In injury time, poor play out from the back left Cagliari in trouble and Zaccagni caught Caprile napping with a fine finish to wrap up the win for the Biancocelesti.

The victory offers Lazio a vital boost after a difficult spell, moving them back into the top half of the Serie A table. Cagliari, meanwhile, will feel frustrated after another promising performance that yielded no points.