Lecce-Cagliari 1-0, Krstovic decides: the Salento team, down to 10 men for a half, finds its first success

Lecce 31 August 2024 - The challenge put the first success of the season at stake between Lecce e Cagliari, in the end the Salento team is right. The yellow and red team beats the Sardinian team 1-0 thanks to the goal of Kristovic in the first half. The Cagliari he despairs for the two crossbars hit, but above all for not having been able to exploit the entire second half in numerical superiority, for the expulsion of Dorgu at the end of the first half.

First half

To get the first three points of this season, Gotti relies on Falcone between the posts, protected by the back four made up of Guilbert, Gaspar, baschirotto e Cock. In the middle the belt is composed of Ramadan e Pierrot, while the real surprise is Dorgu in the three-quarter line together with Oudin e Band to support the lone striker Kristovic. The answer of Nicola is entrusted to a 3-5-2 with Zappa, Mina e Lupert to shield Scuffet between the posts. Azzi e Augello they are the two full-backs, while deiola e Marine they flank meadows to direct traffic to the center of the department. Up front the attacking pair consists of Luvumbo and from the great ex of this challenge namely Roberto Piccoli.

In the first minutes of the match it is the Cagliari trying to impose their own rhythm with the dribbling, but the first big opportunity is for Lecce, thanks to a very distracted person Mina. In the sixth minute of play, the Colombian centre-back in fact touches the ball back too easily to Scuffet, but he gets the measure very wrong, launching a solitary counterattack KristovicThe Montenegrin striker tries to skip past the goalkeeper before shooting at goal, but in the meantime he has recovered Lupert, who saves his own goalkeeper with a real save with his right foot in extension. The Lecce centre forward despairs for the gigantic opportunity missed previously, while Via del Mare instead rumbles in despair for what happened. 

The wrong chance, however, seems to give impetus to the Giallorossi, who manage to become dangerous on other occasions, without however committing themselves Scuffet. On the other hand, whoever seriously puts the opposing goalkeeper in difficulty is Luvumbo. In fact, in the 15th minute the Angolan resists and overcomes in a one-on-one on the wing baschirotto, the attacker enters the area and shoots from the heart of it: Falcone is beaten, but the crossbar denies the joy of a goal to the player of the Cagliari.

The match continued without any further clear goal-scoring opportunities, but the first yellow card came in the 25th minute, and was received by OudinThe game seems to be losing momentum, but he thinks about it Kristovic to redeem the previous mistake and to score the goal that gave Lecce the lead. On the developments of a corner Oudin bowl towards the second post finding Gaspar: tower of the Angolan central player, which allows the Montenegrin's touch under the measure to overcome Scuffet for the 1-0 of Lecce. However, he reacts immediately Cagliari, very close to equalising one minute after conceding the goal. Luvumbo in fact he adjusts the ball from the edge of the area and shoots at goal, deflection of baschirotto how surprising Falcone, but luckily for them the attempt goes just wide to the right of the Lecce goalkeeper.

The minutes pass and the match is heading towards the end of the first half, with the rossoblù mainly keeping possession of the ball, but a Lecce always alive and dangerous when he starts on the counterattack. The biggest chance of the final half for the Salento team comes thanks to Oudin, who kicks very well on free kicks, but finds a response from an equally prompt player Scuffet, to push the ball into a corner. The match seemed to start without any surprises at half-time, but at 45' Dorgu enters with his foot hammered into the leg of meadows. On the field the choice of Locksmiths it's yellow for Dorgu, but after the VAR review chooses the red card for the Dane. The first half ends with the advantage of Lecce for 1-0, but a Salento team with ten men due to the expulsion of the Scandinavian winger.

Second half

Gotti confirms the ten players who completed the first half, two changes instead at half time for the Cagliari: the captain enters the islanders lapadula together with Perlino, they go out instead meadows e Zappa. The ever-increasing wind heavily influences the first minutes, but this does not prevent the Sardinians from trying to equalise with the extra man. After the yellow card for lapadula, in fact a huge opportunity for the rossoblù. Cross towards the second post by Augello, Azzi he heads the ball with a sure shot, but it flies Falcone to deny the guests a draw. Excellent save by the Salento goalkeeper.

I'm also changing for Gotti after the scare, then saved by his own goalkeeper: he enters Dying for Oudin, when the minute is the 56th minute of the game. The opportunity to Band on the counterattack for the Lecce it's a tempting opportunity, but it's an isolated opportunity in a period of almost total domination by the guests. The rossoblù regularly enter the Salento area, but they are unable to break through, while also Falcone ends up in the villains' notebook Locksmiths for having excessively delayed the game times. However, the result does not change and so Nicola you play your cards Purple e happy for deiola e Azzi; Marin was instead cautioned in the minutes preceding the cooling break of the second half.

Upon returning to the field, a triple substitution for the Lecce: they enter Jeans, Pierotti e Coulibaly, instead leave the playing field Guilbert, pierret e Band. Few jolts, few emotions and Cagliari increasingly hasty and consequently less incisive in the final metres. So Nicola the card is played Pavoletti, the man of the final stages of the match, the striker replaces the ex of the day Little ones. We enter the final five minutes of the game with a gigantic goal-scoring opportunity at the feet of Luvumbo. Acceleration of the Angolan, good at resisting the opponent and shooting diagonally with his right foot from inside the area: a real miracle once again by Falcone to save the result for the Giallorossi once again.

Final push of the Cagliari to seek a desperate draw. We are at the threshold of the ninetieth minute when the Sardinians hit the woodwork for the second time of the evening. lapadula He holds on to the edge of the box and creates space for himself to shoot at goal, Pavoletti he deflects it with his heel, freeing Purple in the heart of the penalty area: the number 10 shoots with a sure shot, but hits the crossbar. The islanders despair at the bad luck on this occasion, just a few centimetres lower and it would have been the Sardinian equaliser. In injury time there is also room for the debut of Ante Rebic, which enters in place of Kristovic. Pierotti flirts with doubling Lecce, but the important thing is that the result does not change. The Lecce wins 1-0 over Cagliari thanks to the network of Kristovic and unlocks its ranking, while the team of remains dry of successes Nicola.