Cagliari 2-2 A.S. Roma: Serie A match report

A.S. Roma squander a two goal lead in Sardinia after UEFA Champions League exit. The Giallorossi had taken a two goal lead through Diego Perrotti and Kevin Strootman, before second half goals from Marco Borriello and Marco Sau ensured at famous draw for Cagliari in their first home game back in the Serie A.

Inside the first minute, A.S. Roma carved the newly promoted Cagliari open through Bruno Peres. The former Torino full back brilliantly burst into the left hand side of the penalty area, before dragging his subsequent effort on goal just wide of Marco Storari’s goal.

Moments later, Cagliari gifted the visitors an opportunity to take the lead. Mauricio Isla clumsily dived to intercept a cross to Stephan El Shaarawy at the back post but inadvertently clipped the heels of the Roma wide player. From the resulting penalty kick, Diego Perrotti coolly side footed the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net to give Luciano Spaletti’s men an early one goal advantage.

In the 12th minute, the Giallorossi came close to doubling their advantage through Mohamed Salah. A quick counter attack led by Peres culminated in the ball being played out Salah on the right side of the penalty area. After controlling the ball however, the 24-year-old dragged his subsequent shot wide of the Storari’s goal.

Despite going behind inside the opening five minutes, the Serie B champions were undeterred from committing numbers forward into the final third. The home side came close to drawing level through new signing, Simone Padoin, in the 15th minute, however his audacious 25-yard strike on goal was deflected narrowly wide of the right post.

Another of Cagliari’s summer acquisitions, Marco Borriello, almost restored the stalemate at Sant’Elia on the half hour mark. However, after making his way past Alessandro Florenzi the left hand side of the 18-yard box, Borriello rifled the ball straight at Wojciech Szczesny in the Roma goal.

In the dying embers of the first half, Borriello spurned another glorious opportunity to make it 1-1. The former Italian international stole a march on Konstantinos Manolas at the back post to latch onto a cross from the left flank from Davide Di Gennaro, before cannoning a headed effort off the upright.

Roma double their lead

Within one minute of the second half commencing, A.S. Roma doubled their lead through Kevin Strootman. The central midfielder rifled the ball off the crossbar and subsequently into the back of the net after a lapse in concentration from the Cagliari backline allowed him to latch onto a knock down from substitute, Edin Dzeko.

Although this goal deflated the Sant’Elia faithful, it did not have the same effect on Gli Isolani as ten minutes later, Borriello reduced the deficit to one goal. After Marco Sau wonderfully flicked the ball past two Roma defenders inside the penalty area and forced Szczesny into a point-blank save, the 34-year-old stole in at the back post to slide the ball into the roof of the net.

In the aftermath of making it 2-1, Cagliari began to push forward in droves in search of the equaliser. The home side thought they had drawn level when Sau latched onto an lofted through ball from Di Gennaro and side footed the ball past the onrushing Szczesny in the 77th minute; however the Italian striker’s goal was ruled out for offside by Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni.

Cagliari equalise late

With just three minutes remaining, the home side deservedly drew level. After previously being denied by the offside flag, Sau rose highest at the near post to head an Isla cross from the right flank into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

In added time, Florenzi spurned a fantastic chance to give his side a crucial away win. The diminutive full back raced in at the back post to latch onto a Dzeko cross, before heading the ball just wide of the post.

The result leaves Roma two points adrift of Juventus going into the international break.