Serie A | Cagliari 1-2 Sassuolo: Big victory in relegation battle

Sassuolo secured a big away win in this relegation dogfight thanks to the Armand Laurienté free kick and Andrea Pinamonti, but it’s crisis time for Cagliari.

The Sardinians were without a win in four and missed Alessandro Deiola, Andrea Belotti and Nicola Pintus, but Yerry Mina returned. The Neroverdi absentee list was growing, as Domenico Berardi and Filippo Romagna sustained injuries in the defeat to Roma, joining Daniel Boloca, Laurs Skjellerup and Edoardo Pieragnolo on the treatment table.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Michael Folorunsho nodded over and Marco Palestra had a shot charged down from the edge of the area.

Sebastiano Esposito had the ball in the net on 28 minutes at full stretch at the back post, but was offside when Gennaro Borrelli flicked on the Palestra cross.

Sassuolo also threatened, Andrea Pinamonti’s volley charged down on a Cristian Volpato corner, then Elia Caprile had to palm away the wicked bend on a Thorstvedt strike.

Moments later, the Cagliari goalkeeper used a foot to parry the Volpato angled drive that had gone through a defender’s legs.

Palestra bent a curler wide on the counter when his teammates would’ve preferred a cross, but Sassuolo took the lead on 54 minutes.

Armand Laurienté curled a right-foot free kick over the wall and it dipped viciously into the near top corner, with Caprile unsighted.

Ismael Koné fired off target moments later, but Gabriele Zappa came so close to an equaliser when his effort from the edge of the area bounced off the crossbar.

Sassuolo doubled their lead on the counter-attack with a well-worked move, as Volpato found Pinamonti in the box, who dropped the shoulder to send two defenders to ground, cutting inside to drill into the near bottom corner with his left foot.

Just as Cagliari seemed to have been crushed, they fought back with Mattia Felici breaking down the right and rolling into the six-yard box for Sebastiano Esposito to tap in from six yards. It allowed him to end his drought after 31 games without a goal, and the first Sardinian strike at home in Serie A since September.

Volpato continued to push and his attempt from a very tight angle thumped the outside of the upright. Walid Cheddira also flashed a ball across the face of goal in stoppages, but Alieu Fadera was unable to meet it.

Cagliari 1-2 Sassuolo

Laurienté 54 (S), Pinamonti 65 (S), S Esposito 73 (C)