In a high-stakes encounter at the bottom of Serie A, Cagliari emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Parma, propelling themselves away from the relegation zone and condemning their opponents to a third consecutive defeat.
The match began with both teams aware of the importance of the result, as Parma had slipped into the relegation zone, just a point behind their Sardinian hosts. Despite missing several key players, Parma started brightly, with Adrian Bernabé’s free-kick narrowly missing the target.
Cagliari responded with their own opportunities, as Mattia Felici’s solo effort was expertly saved, and Yerry Mina’s header from the resulting corner struck the woodwork. Parma’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki had a few nervous moments, fumbling crosses and nearly handling outside his area.
The visitors suffered a blow when striker Milan Djuric was forced off with an ankle injury after half an hour. Parma thought they had taken the lead against the run of play, but Ange-Yoann Bonny’s header was ruled out for offside.
The deadlock was finally broken when Michel Adopo flicked on Tommaso Augello’s cross, with the final touch coming off Parma defender Alessandro Vogliacco for an unfortunate own goal.
The highlight of the match came shortly after, as debutant Florinel Coman made an immediate impact. Just minutes after coming off the bench, the Romanian unleashed a spectacular long-range strike that found the top corner, doubling Cagliari’s lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.
Parma managed to pull one back late in the game through Giovanni Leoni’s looping header from a corner, but it proved to be merely a consolation. The visitors never truly threatened to equalize, and Cagliari held on for a crucial victory.
This result provides a significant boost to Cagliari’s survival hopes, while Parma’s third straight defeat leaves them in a precarious position near the foot of the table. As the Serie A relegation battle intensifies, both teams will need to regroup quickly for their upcoming fixtures.
Goals: Vogliacco og 57 (C), Coman 70 (C), Leoni 78 (P)
Cagliari (4-2-3-1): Caprile; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Makoumbou (85′ Deiola), Adopo (85′ Marin); Zortea, Viola (55′ Gaetano), Felici (68′ Coman); Piccoli (85′ Pavoletti).
Parma (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Delprato, Vogliacco, Leoni (90′ +2 Almqvist), Valeri; Bernabé, Keita (59′ Hernani); Cancellieri (46′ Man), Sohm, Camara (59′ Ondrejka); Djuric (31′ Bonny).
