A remarkable display of skill by Daniel Maldini, showcased through a precision free kick, secured a crucial victory for Monza, thwarting Cagliari’s aspirations to ascend the league standings.
Despite the home team’s recent success, with three wins in their last four outings, the absence of key players such as Danilo D’Ambrosio, Samuele Vignato, and Gianluca Caprari posed challenges. Conversely, Cagliari managed to elevate themselves out of the relegation zone with consecutive triumphs over Empoli and Salernitana, despite grappling with an injury crisis that sidelined prominent figures including Yerry Mina, Gianluca Gaetano, Andrea Petagna, Zito Luvumbo, Leonardo Pavoletti, and Marco Mancosu.
The pivotal moment arrived when Eldor Shomurodov was fouled just outside the penalty area, resulting in Gianluca Lapadula’s narrowly missed attempt from the subsequent free kick. However, Monza surged ahead courtesy of an exceptional free kick from Daniel Maldini, who expertly maneuvered the ball over the defensive wall, striking the underside of the crossbar before crossing the goal line, leaving Simone Scuffet helpless. Notably, this achievement echoed a similar feat by his father, Paolo Maldini, against Cagliari in February 1991 while playing for Milan under the stewardship of Claudio Ranieri.
Further opportunities arose for Monza, notably through Dany Mota Carvalho, who failed to capitalize on a clear chance just before halftime. Andrea Colpani and Dany Mota continued to pose threats, with efforts aimed towards goal narrowly missing the mark. Additionally, a crucial defensive intervention by Andrea Carboni prevented Shomurodov from converting a close-range opportunity.
Cagliari, seeking to level the score, saw Alessandro Deiola’s volley deflected wide, while Lapadula’s apparent goal was disallowed due to an offside infringement. Despite Monza’s dominance, a promising counter-attack led by Lorenzo Colombo concluded with a wayward lob, and Roberto Gagliardini’s attempt on goal was blocked by resolute defending.
Monza 1-0 Cagliari