Cagliari conquer Lazio at Olympic

Cagliari

Cagliari struck four times in the first half and upset an in-form Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.


The Romans capitalized on a defensive mistake by Cagliari defender Diego Lopez with Tommaso Rocchi opening the scoring in the third minute.


But Lazio's tactics backfired and Cagliari hit back with a vengeance.


With Lazio coach Delio Rossi playing his usual attacking trio of Rocchi, Goran Pandev and Mauro Zarate, there were holes in the home defense and Cagliari punished them with Jeda scoring twice and both Robert Acquafresca and Alessandro Matri notching a goal apiece.


Lazio, who had held second-placed Juventus to a 1-1 draw last weekend, did have a chance to hit back but both Rocchi and Zarate failed to convert from the penalty spot as their team conceded their third home defeat of the campaign.


Cagliari, searching for their second win on the road this season, looked like a team short of confidence in the opening exchanges.


A defensive blunder by the Sardinians allowed the hosts to break the deadlock early on.


Stefano Mauri intercepted a poor back pass by Lopez before passing to an unmarked Rocchi inside the area, whose right-footed strike beat Cagliari goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.


The islanders were quick to react, David Rozehnal failed to clear Andrea Lazzari's cross from the left and Jeda's powerful header from inside the area beat Lazio goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo.


It took just four minutes for Cagliari to strike again.


Matri's deep cross found Jeda inside the box, whose close-range header beat the helpless Carrizo to make it 2-1.


Lazio should have equalized in the 15th minute but Zarate's powerful free-kick went inches wide of the far post.


Lazio's troubles continued as in the 21st minute the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Carrizo brought down Jeda inside the area.


Acquafresca made no mistake and coolly struck to the right of Carrizo to extend his team's advantage.


The three points appeared safe four minutes before the break when Matri nodded in from Davide Biondini's cross to make it 4-1.


Lazio missed a great chance to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half-time when Rocchi fired wide from the penalty spot after Mauri had been brought down inside the area by Marchetti.


Rossi made a substitution after the restart with defender Sanchez Cribari replacing Mobido Diakite.


Lazio should have made it 4-2 shortly after but Marchetti made a stunning save as he fully stretched to clear Zarate's spot-kick after Carlos Matheu had held Rocchi inside the area.


Lazio did not give up but struggled to get past Cagliari's defense.


When they did manage to penetrate, they were unable to beat Marchetti.


The Cagliari goalkeeper made two impressive saves from Pandev and Zarate's efforts from the edge of the area.


Matri should have made it 5-1 with five minutes remaining but failed to beat Carrizo in a one-on-one in what was the last chance of the game for both sides.