Serie A Regular Season - 31
Sassuolo 2 - 1 FT Cagliari
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
S. Esposito 30'
HT
50' U. Garcia
58' ↓ C. Volpato ↑N. Matic
58' ↓ F. Romagna ↑W. Coulibaly
69' ↓ I. Kone ↑L. Lipani
69' ↓ A. Lauriente ↑D. Bakola
70' L. Lipani
↓ M. Folorunsho ↑G. Borrelli 75'
↓ G. Gaetano ↑I. Sulemana 75'
78' A. Pinamonti (D. Bakola)
79' A. Pinamonti
82' ↓ A. Pinamonti ↑M. Nzola
↓ J. Pedro ↑S. Kilicsoy 83'
↓ M. Adopo ↑G. Zappa 89'
↓ S. Esposito ↑P. Mendy 89'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Sassuolo
Goalkeepers
Arijanet Murić 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Sebastian Walukiewicz 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Filippo Romagna
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
58
Total Mins
58
Entry
Jay Idzes 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
6.3
Rating
Ulisses Garcia 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Midfielders
Ismael Koné
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
69
Total Mins
69
Entry
Kristian Thorstvedt 
PROVOCATEUR
5
Fouls Won
5
Fouls Won
10
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Domenico Berardi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cristian Volpato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
58
Total Mins
58
Entry
Armand Laurienté
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
69
Total Mins
69
Entry
Forwards
Andrea Pinamonti 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
BENCH
Stefano Turati 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Gioele Zacchi
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Giacomo Satalino
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Tarik Muharemović
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pedro Felipe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Josh Doig
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Woyo Coulibaly
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
37
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aster Vranckx
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Edoardo Iannoni
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Darryl Bakola 
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
26
Minutes
6.7
Rating
Luca Lipani
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nemanja Matić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
37
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alieu Fadera
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M'Bala Nzola
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luca Moro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cagliari
Goalkeepers
Elia Caprile
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Zé Pedro
LATE SHIFT
7
Late Mins
7
Late Mins
83
Total Mins
83
Entry
Yerry Mina 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
80%
Duel Win %
Juan Rodríguez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Marco Palestra
PROVOCATEUR
5
Fouls Won
5
Fouls Won
12
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Michel Adopo 
NPC
90
Minutes
90
Minutes
29%
Pass Acc
6.3
Rating
Gianluca Gaetano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
75
Total Mins
75
Entry
Alessandro Deiola
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Adam Obert
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Sebastiano Esposito
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Michael Folorunsho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
75
Entry
BENCH
Alen Sherri
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Giuseppe Ciocci
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Othniël Raterink
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gabriele Zappa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ibrahim Sulemana
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
20
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luca Mazzitelli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Joseph Liteta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Agustín Albarracín
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gennaro Borrelli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Andrea Belotti
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Paul Mendy
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
6
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Semih Kılıçsoy
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/30/2025 | Cagliari | 1 - 2 | Sassuolo | Serie A | Unipol Domus |
| 05/19/2024 | Sassuolo | 0 - 2 | Cagliari | Serie A | MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore |
| 12/11/2023 | Cagliari | 2 - 1 | Sassuolo | Serie A | Unipol Domus |
| 04/16/2022 | Cagliari | 1 - 0 | Sassuolo | Serie A | Unipol Domus |
| 01/19/2022 | Sassuolo | 1 - 0 | Cagliari | Coppa Italia | MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore |
| 11/21/2021 | Sassuolo | 2 - 2 | Cagliari | Serie A | MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore |
Sassuolo Win
Cagliari Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 31 GD: +45
P: 31 GD: +17
P: 31 GD: +23
P: 31 GD: +31
P: 31 GD: +25
P: 31 GD: +14
P: 31 GD: +17
P: 31 GD: +3
P: 31 GD: +3
P: 31 GD: -3
P: 31 GD: -7
P: 31 GD: -18
P: 31 GD: -17
P: 31 GD: -8
P: 31 GD: -8
P: 31 GD: -12
P: 31 GD: -20
P: 31 GD: -22
P: 31 GD: -31
League Standings
P: 34 GD: +49
P: 34 GD: +19
P: 34 GD: +21
P: 34 GD: +28
P: 34 GD: +31
P: 34 GD: +19
P: 34 GD: +15
P: 34 GD: +1
P: 33 GD: +4
P: 34 GD: -3
P: 33 GD: -5
P: 34 GD: -15
P: 34 GD: -17
P: 34 GD: -8
P: 34 GD: -7
P: 34 GD: -13
P: 34 GD: -24
P: 34 GD: -25
P: 34 GD: -33
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Sassuolo Survive Cagliari Penalty to Seal Dramatic Knockout Progression
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 60/100. A ruthless second-half turnaround sent the hosts through to the next round, leaving a heartbroken Cagliari to rue their missed chances on a decisive knockout night.
The Opening Stanza
The atmosphere crackled at MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore as both sides stepped onto the pitch knowing only one could survive this elimination tie. The immense Stakes weighed heavily on the players, leading to a cautious but physical opening exchange where the ball was shared equally. It was the visitors who blinked first, capitalizing on a crucial error inside the box. At the 30-minute mark, S. Esposito stepped up to the penalty spot, silencing the home support with a flawlessly executed finish into the corner. Holding a precious lead, Cagliari settled into a disciplined shape. They matched the home side’s physicality, absorbing pressure and dictating the early Intensity of the fixture to preserve their narrow advantage heading into the halftime break, leaving the home faithful anxious.
The Momentum Shift
Whatever was said in the home dressing room worked wonders, as Sassuolo emerged for the second half with relentless attacking intent. Just five minutes after the restart, U. Garcia found the breakthrough, finishing cleanly to level the scoreline and completely shatter the defensive Balance Cagliari had worked so hard to establish. The match immediately transformed into a chaotic end-to-end spectacle. Drama peaked in the 70th minute when L. Lipani seemingly bundled the ball home to give the hosts the lead, sparking wild celebrations that were quickly cut short by a VAR offside ruling. Despite generating consistently more dangerous opportunities in the final third throughout the evening, Cagliari suddenly found themselves retreating deeper and deeper, struggling to cope with the suffocating wave of black-and-green pressure mounting on their backline.
The Final Blow
The decisive moment arrived in the 78th minute through a stroke of managerial brilliance. Super sub D. Bakola provided an immediate impact, driving forward to deliver a perfectly weighted assist into the path of A. Pinamonti. The striker made no mistake, burying the chance to complete a massive second-half turnaround. Orchestrating this entire recovery was Kristian Thorstvedt, whose phenomenal engine and tactical intelligence locked down the central areas, rightfully earning him the man of the match honors. While the underlying metrics suggested a potential Upset Factor given the visitors' high quality of chances, Sassuolo’s ruthless finishing proved the ultimate difference. As the final whistle blew, the hosts celebrated a monumental progression to the next round, condemning a heartbroken Cagliari squad to an agonizing knockout elimination on the road.
Key Questions
How did Sassuolo complete the comeback from behind?
U. Garcia leveled the match early in the second half, before substitute D. Bakola provided the crucial late assist for A. Pinamonti to secure the knockout victory.
How did substitute Kristian Thorstvedt change the game?
Dictating the midfield tempo, Thorstvedt broke down Cagliari’s attacks and drove his team forward, earning Man of the Match honors for an absolutely dominant commanding performance.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A Mid-Table Grind Lacking Genuine Fire
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 40/100. With the hosts marooned in mid-table obscurity and the visitors lacking firepower, this fixture barely moves the needle for the neutral fan.
The Setup
Sassuolo welcome Cagliari to the MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore on April 04, 2026, for a clash that struggles to generate mainstream excitement. The Stakes are remarkably low for this stage of the Serie A campaign. Sitting comfortably in 10th place, the hosts have essentially secured their status but have little left to play for, and their recent performances reflect that apathy. Back-to-back defeats have dragged down their Form, making them look like a squad already dreaming of the summer break. On the other side, the visitors are hovering in 15th position. While they are nervously looking over their shoulders, they have completely failed to mount a serious string of results. Winless in five grueling matches, Cagliari's survival bid feels more like a slow crawl than a spirited fight. Despite a very respectable Stars rating boosted by the creative output of Armand Laurienté, the sheer lack of competitive urgency strips this late-season tie of any genuine, pulse-pounding intrigue.
Key Battle
The defining tactical clash happens directly on the perimeter of the visiting penalty area. The home side's attacking unit inherently wants to play intricate, possession-based football to carve open spaces. Conversely, the visiting back line knows their limitations. They will invariably drop deep into a rigid block, crowd the central channels, and dare their opponents to break them down. It is a classic, grueling test of patience against stubborn defensive organization.
Our Verdict
Do not expect a classic encounter here. A relatively high Balance metric suggests a tight, evenly matched contest, but that is mostly because neither side currently possesses a ruthless cutting edge. We expect a disjointed, frustrating 1-1 draw where fleeting moments of individual quality are overshadowed by conservative tactics from the visitors and a general lack of urgency from the hosts.