Serie A | Cagliari 1-0 Cremonese: Esposito decides massive relegation battle

Sebastiano Esposito’s header proved enough to give Cagliari a huge push up the table in this relegation dogfight, leaving Cremonese in the bottom three.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News and Content – Free Trial – Click Here

This was a pure battle to avoid relegation, with three points separating the Sardinians in 16^th from their visitors in 17^th place. Coming off four consecutive defeats, Cagliari missed Leonardo Pavoletti, Riyad Idrissi and Mattia Felici, but Alberto Dossena returned from suspension.

Marco Giampaolo had seen improvements since taking the Cremonese job, beating Parma and narrowly losing 2-1 to Bologna. Youssef Maleh sat out a ban, with Jamie Vardy, Morten Thorsby, Faris Moumbagna and Michele Collocolo injured, though Antonio Sanabria was now fit for the bench. Federico Baschirotto made his comeback and Sebastiano Luperto faced his former club.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Marco Palestra’s strike was palmed out from under the bar in the opening minutes, but David Okereke wasted a golden opportunity when slipping and failing to make the most of the inspired Federico Bonazzoli slide-rule pass that sent him clear.

Okereke’s glancing header on a short corner also tested Elia Caprile and Cagliari lost Luca Mazzitelli to a muscular injury on the half-hour mark.

Sebastiano Esposito won it back in midfield and saw his counter-attack charged down by Sebastiano Luperto, while Bonazzoli drilled wide after the restart from a promising position.

Cagliari took the lead when substitute Ze Pedro made an immediate impact, sending his cross to the back post for Esposito to nod into the ground, the awkward bounce beating Emil Audero from a tricky angle.

It was so nearly 2-0 when Audero made a fantastic reaction save on Alessandro Deiola’s header from six yards, and there was a special moment as Andrea Belotti made his return after surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Cagliari 1-0 Cremonese

Esposito 63 (Ca)