Cagliari significantly advanced their pursuit of maintaining their position in Serie A by securing a hard-fought victory over Salernitana, highlighted by Eldor Shomurodov’s two-goal performance.
Following a crucial win against Empoli, which lifted them out of the relegation zone, Cagliari faced challenges due to the absence of key players such as Leonardo Pavoletti, Andrea Petagna, Zito Luvumbo, Ibrahim Sulemana, and Marco Mancosu. Meanwhile, Salernitana, despite remaining at the bottom of the league table, managed to secure a point against Udinese, albeit without the services of Jerome Boateng, Norbert Gyomber, and Niccolò Pierozzi, with Lorenzo Pirola only fit enough for a place on the bench. Additionally, Boulaye Dia found himself excluded from the squad after his refusal to substitute into the match.
The opening goal of the game arrived through a remarkable solo effort from Gianluca Lapadula. Exploiting a pass from Gabriele Zappa, Lapadula evaded the offside trap, dribbled past Guillermo Ochoa, and cleverly maneuvered past Kostas Manolas before calmly slotting the ball into the empty net, following confirmation by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Despite Jakub Jankto’s missed opportunity soon after, Cagliari extended their lead when Gianluca Gaetano capitalized on a swift counter-attack initiated by Nahitan Nandez. Gaetano skillfully maneuvered past Alessandro Zanoli before slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net with his right foot.
Although Shon Weissman’s header threatened Cagliari’s lead, substitute Eldor Shomurodov secured victory for his team with a well-taken goal, profiting from Tommaso Augello’s interception and Ochoa’s initial save.
Salernitana mounted a late comeback with goals from Grigoris Kastanos and Giulio Maggiore, but Cagliari ultimately sealed the win when Federico Fazio’s clearance rebounded off Shomurodov, who capitalized on Ochoa’s parry to score his second goal of the match.
Despite some late chances for both sides, Cagliari held firm defensively to secure a vital victory in their quest for Serie A survival.
Cagliari 4-2 Salernitana