CAGLIARI. A great Joao Pedro saves Cagliari from a possible home defeat against a Spezia stronger than Covid. Thiago Motta’s Ligurians can bite their hands for the double advantage of Gyasi and Bastoni, wasted within ten minutes when the Brazilian striker scored two goals, bringing the Sardinians back in a draw. All in all a fair result, Spezia showed good organization of play and personality. The Eaglets paid for their fatigue in the second half, given the lack of changes for Motta. Cagliari to be recorded, the offensive potential is considerable but the impression is of an excessive defensive fragility.
In Cagliari, Semplici fielded Nahitan Nandez as a starter for his seasonal debut. The Uruguayan winger has long been at loggerheads with the club, asking to be sold to Inter. In the rossoblù ranks in attack space for the couple composed of Joao Pedro and Pavoletti, while in midfield the debut for the new signing Strootman. Short squad for the Spezia coach Thiago Motta, also given the difficulties related to Covid. Between the posts space for Zoet, with Nikolaou, Erlic and Hristov defending the eagle door, while in midfield it will be Maggiore and Bastoni who will divide the median, with Ferrer and Amian on the side lanes. Forward, space for the trident made up of Green, Gyasi and Colley.
The start of Spezia was excellent, after 7 ‘he took the lead with a right diagonal from the distance of Gyasi that surprises Cragno. Hit cold, Cagliari feel the pinch and struggle to react. After about twenty minutes of suffering, Semplici’s team fails a sensational opportunity to equalize with Walukiewicz who kicks very high in the fray just a stone’s throw from Zoet’s goal. Pushed by a Nandez at times irresistible, Cagliari increases the forcing and touches the draw again in the 43rd minute with Joao Pedro. Zoet saves the Spezia.
In the second half, Semplici’s team is increasingly aggressive but lacks precision in the last pass. The usual Nandez breaks through on the right several times, but never manages to serve a very marked Pavoletti in the right way. Precisely in the moment of maximum suffering, however, Motta’s boys find the doubling in the 58th minute with Bastoni on an assist from Gyasi’s right. Passive on the occasion the defense of Cagliari. The game seems over, but Joao Pedro doesn’t think so. The Brazilian striker of Cagliari in less than ten minutes signs a brace and brings the result in a tie: at 62 ‘he beats Zoet with a nice right-footed shot from the edge of the area, at 66’ he transforms a penalty awarded for a foul by Zoet on Pavoletti. Joao Pedro is a fury and in the 75th minute he touches the trio with a right from the center of the area thwarted by Zoet. For the final assault, Semplici also sent Simeone on the field in place of an exhausted Pavoletti. The best opportunity, however, has it Bastoni who kicks weakly and centrally from the edge into Cragno’s arms.