Cagliari 1-2 Verona, goals from Barak, Caprari and Joao Pedro

From our correspondent Francesco Velluzzi

April 30
– CAGLIARI

Cagliari-Verona conveys two certainties: Cagliari is more and more troubled in the fight not to retreat, Verona does not give up anything and packs another top-level match with Barak and Lasagna scorers (1-2). Never have I seen a team that is safe and all in all far from Europe playing with a similar spirit, so mad and determined not to give anything away, absolutely nothing. Cagliari comes out badly, in comparison with the fans of the North. The team, called in a loud voice, decides to go and talk to the North who in front of them invites them to come up with the attributes. The blaze on a great free kick by an immense fighter Joao Pedro was not enough, Cagliari after the 1-2 was unable to straighten a game that at the end of the first half got terribly uphill with a goal from Caprari who was not offside . We need a decisive change of gear because the rossoblù championship, still in the lead, will almost certainly be decided on May 8 in Salerno. The one of Verona, on the other hand, continues magically, at 35 points (in the three-point era) Hellas had not arrived since 2014. This is already a great goal. For a group that in the summer thought only of salvation and that after three days had sent home Eusebio Di Francesco who already hurt in Cagliari. President Setti rejoices with a team that crashes and starts again in a deadly way.

Match

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And here’s the challenge. Unipol Domus is packed. Sold out, that is 16277 spectators, 270 the Veronese in their segment with Hellas Army banner … Mazzarri returns to his defensive line of trust: Goldaniga (who does not repay him), Lovato (who suffers a lot) and Altare (who in the end is the one who gets by the most). Up front Keita plays with Joao Pedro. Rog remains on the bench to the advantage of Deiola. Tudor changes a couple. Tameze plays the defensive winger. There is Hongla and also Depaoli who practically plays man on Bellanova. Verona starts off like a rocket. With Caprari flying immediately to the left, at 5 ‘Marin loses the ball with Hongla and Cragno has to put a hand on it, but at 8’ he can do nothing about the action of the unleashed Simeone who jumps over Lovato on an incorrect header by Dalbert , serves Barak who scores. Cagliari reacts, the match is physical. Barak and Tameze, who do not understand where he plays, but has Pharaohs covering him, get the yellow. Just Tameze gives a free kick that Marin kicks well, but finds Montipò in the corner. On the corner Dalbert catches the head of Altare, but Montipò shoots on the crossbar. Cagliari presses, but also sins. Because Goldaniga loses a bloody ball and Dalbert puts a patch on Simeone. Again Montipò overtakes Keita, who for once comes out of the grip of Casale and the excellent Ceccherini, sending him the great shot on the crossbar. Cagliari is unlucky. But he suffers too much when Verona lights up: Cragno covers well on Faraoni. Grassi kicks out from a good position, but the lethal blow for the hosts comes one minute from the end of time when Ilic catches Caprari that Lovato guilty keeps in play. There is no offside, Orsato validates the beautiful goal, the twelfth for the reborn Verona striker who does what he wants.

Second half

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Mazzarri understands that he has to run for cover and try everything out for a very difficult comeback. Inside immediately Rog and Nandez for Deiola and Marin. But Mazzarri makes it inexplicably, because after 5 ‘, two more: Carboni for a disappointing Goldaniga and Pavoletti for Keita. But after 30 seconds Pavoletti, elbow high, already gets a yellow card. Exaggerated. With Orsato threatening to throw him out. The game heats up. In the viewfinder there is the former Simeone who is devastated and goes on all the balls. In fact Hongla deserves the uncle love and delivering another frontal free kick to Cagliari in the 12 ‘. Joao Pedro decides it’s time to decide. He takes the ball and sends it in seven: 1-2. An extraordinary goal, but above all as a champion. Bocchetti hears Tudor and changes three: inside Veloso for Ilici, Gunter for Hongla and Lasagna for Barak to shoot again and give more depth with Cagliari looking for a draw. Tameze returns to midfield with Gunter going to the center of the defense. Bocchetti also included Sutalo for Ceccherini. In practice, a new defense. While Mazzarri hopes for a magic from Gaston Pereiro and sends him on the field in place of Bellanova who has spent a lot, but has not been as devastating as on other occasions, well marked by Depaoli. Nothing relevant happens until 6 minutes of recovery. Verona controls. The pressure of Cagliari is sterile. A yellow for Simeone who “smashes” Lovato and one for Carboni who spreads the elusive Lasagna. Then just a couple of conclusions that increase the anger of the Northern fans who pass from threats to Simeone to those to their team: “If we go down to B …”. It ends badly, very badly.