Cagliari 4-3 Udinese: Rossoblu hold off Zebrette to win seven-goal thriller

Date: 31st May 2015 at 8:00pm
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Cagliari overcame Udinese 4-3 in a thrilling game at the Stadio Sant’Elia on Sunday evening in Serie A.

The home side were in front by two goals after twenty minutes first with Marco Sau and then with a free kick hit sweetly by Joao Pedro. Udinese gave themselves a lifeline on the stroke of half time. Rolando Aguirre fired in from close range after chest controlling the ball from a Bruno Fernandes pass.

The second half provided little action until a flurry of goals late on. First, Jose Mpoku made it 3-1 for the home side. Then Bruno Fernandes stabbed the ball from the edge of the area into the net. Unfortunately, the Brazilian would score an own goal just minutes later to restore Cagliari’s two goal lead. Cyril Thereau scored in the 87th minutes but the Zebrette could not get themselves onto level terms in injury time.

The game started off slowly with the first real chance coming after ten minutes with Simone Scuffet saving a dangerous shot from Joao Pedro.

Three minutes later the home side took the lead. Sau got away from Danilo and tucked the ball into the net from the edge of the area.

Udinese were not able to respond and were hemmed into their own half. Gianluca Festa’s men doubled their lead on 19 minutes.

Joao Pedro struck a powerful free-kick low to the ground from approximately 25 metres that fooled the Udinese wall and beat Scuffet.

The Zebrette could not get a hold of the game and were lucky not to go 3-0 down as full-back Nicola Murru forced a good save out of Scuffet.

The away side, rather undeservingly, got back into the game just before half time with their first real opportunity. Fernandes played a ball to Rodrigo Aguirre who controlled it with his chest and beat Zelko Brkic at his near post.

The start of the second half offered little in terms of goalmouth action as both sides struggled to break each other down.

Cagliari’s Paul-Jose Mpoku came close with a free-kick from similar distance to that of Joao Pedro’s goal, which went slightly over the upright.

The Sardinians looked more likely to extend their lead but substitute Duje Cop was not able to convert an easy chance dragging his shot wide.

The home side looked to have sealed the win ten minutes from time. A mistake in the Udinese defence allowed Sau to pick up the ball and lay it off to Mpoku who fired in a third goal.

Udinese, however, were defiant and cut the lead back to one goal almost instantly with Fernandes toe poking the ball into the net from the edge of the area.

The goals kept on coming. Five minutes from time Cagliari re-established their two goal lead. Murru’s cross hit the shin of Fernandes which diverted the ball beyond Scuffet.

Udinese were still not finished. A nice one-two exchange between Thereau and Giovanni Pasquale led to the French striker prodding the ball home to ensure a thrilling finale.

 

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