CAGLIARI

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 27 - 4/3/07 (14.00 UK)

Cagliari - Atalanta
Stadio Sant'Elia

In Week 27 Cagliari and Atalanta will both be desperate to come away from the Stadio Sant’Elia with all three points, but for very different reasons. While the Isolani are just a few points away from the relegation zone, the Nerazzurri seem to have forgotten what victory tastes like and are rapidly falling down the table.

Marco Giampaolo has been recalled to Coach the Rossoblu by President Massimo Cellino, but in the match against Torino last Wednesday the Sardinians were once again defeated.

Meanwhile, the Orobici suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sampdoria after being 1-0 ahead. However, Atalanta were left fuming at the referee who wrongly awarded Doria a late penalty. In protest, the Bergamo boys have enforced a Press silence.

Giampaolo will probably line up a 4-4-2 formation. In defence Michele Ferri and Francesco Pisano are both right-back options. In the midfield, Davide Biondini should play on the left flank with Antonio D’Agostino on the opposite side. In attack Simone Pepe and Andrea Capone are in competition to partner David Suazo.

Atalanta boss Stefano Colantuono is likely to make several changes to last week’s formation. Gianpaolo Bellini and Leonardo Talamonti are banned, so Brazilian ace Adriano should play on the right with Claudio Rivalta moving to the central position. Luca Ariatti is also likely to move from the midfield to the left-back spot.

After missing last Wednesday’s tie due to suspension, Cristiano Doni should take his usual role behind Atalanta’s lone striker, who is set to be Nicola Ventola. Riccardo Zampagna will have to watch from the bench, but may find some space during the second half. There is no news about Christian Vieri, who was supposed to be ready by February but he still isn’t available.

Man on fire: The Honduran striker may leave the Isolani this summer, but for now he will be eager to keep the team away from the relegation zone. His form hasn’t been great in the last few games, but he still has a deadly touch.

Last season: Not played

Form guide: Cagliari (L D L L L) Atalanta (D D D D L)

Cagliari (probable): Fortin; Ferri, Bizera, Bianco, Agostani; D’Agostino, Conti, Colucci, Biondini; Pepe, Suazo

Atalanta (probable): Calderoni; Adriano, Rivalta, Loria, Ariatti; Ferriera Pinto, Migliaccio, Donati, Bombardini; Doni; Ventola

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Cagliari needs to gain points here, as they look to avoid regulation area. They currently sit three points ahead Messina who hold the last relegation spot.

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Cagliari...Goal by Suazo 04'

[D-Kin]

It sounded like a nice goal as well.

[D-Kin]

14' Oooh! Conti tests Calderoni with a bending free kick that looked destined for the top corner!

[D-Kin]

Doni has missed a penalty for Atalanta.

[Forza_Roma]

HT 1-0 Shame they didn't score on the penalty.

[D-Kin]

Yeah, you expect Doni to score those.

[D-Kin]

66' And another! Adriano's off! It's his second bookable offence and Atalanta are down to ten men!

[D-Kin]

Cagliari 2-0 Atalanta

67' Pepe

[D-Kin]

FT 2-0 to Cagliari.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 27 - 4/3/07 (14.00 UK)

Cagliari 2 - 0 Atalanta
Suazo 4 (C), Pepe 71 (C)
Stadio Sant'Elia

Cagliari registered their first win since Coach Marco Giampaolo's recall, as Atalanta missed a penalty with Cristiano Doni.

Giampaolo was recalled last week and his 'debut' was a 1-0 defeat to Torino, so he was hoping for better luck on home turf. Atalanta were still fuming after a controversial penalty sealed a late 2-1 loss at Sampdoria and had to make changes with Gianpaolo Bellini and Leonardo Talamonti banned, but Cristiano Doni returned from suspension.

Atalanta had only ever won here once in Serie A going into this game, a 1-0 result in November 1964!

Cagliari took the lead after just four minutes, as Leonardo Colucci threaded through to release David Suazo, who immediately placed a left-foot angled drive into the far corner.

Caglioni tipped a Daniele Conti free kick out from under the crossbar and Andrea Capone failed to make the most of a Suazo assist.

On the half-hour mark the referee pointed to the spot for an apparent Diego Lopez push on Nicola Ventola. It was Atalanta's first real scoring opportunity and Doni stepped up only to horribly side-foot wide.

Cagliari kept pushing with Conti's daisy-cutter shaving a coat of paint off the far post.

Atalanta were left in 10 men for the final 15 minutes, as Adriano picked up a second yellow card for his foul from behind on D'Agostino.

The Sardinians sealed the points with substitute Simone Pepe, who followed Biondini all the way up the field on the counter to nod home his cross from nine yards.

Cagliari: Fortin; Ferri (Pisano 78.), Lopez, Bianco, Del Grosso; Biondini, Conti, Colucci, D'Agostino (Agostini 84); Capone (Pepe 65), Suazo

Atalanta: Calderoni; Adriano, Rivalta, Loria, Ariatti; Ferreira Pinto (Bernardini 63), Migliaccio, Donati (Tissone 74), Defendi; Doni (Carrozzieri 70); Ventola

Ref: Palanca

Missed penalty: Doni 33 (A)

Sent off: Adriano 76 (A)

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Big win for Cagliari....they push away from the bottom feeders. Missed penalties are always hard to overcome.

[D-Kin]

Game highlights:

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[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 28 - 10/3/07 (19.30 UK)

Sampdoria - Cagliari
Stadio Ferraris

Sampdoria will want to get their European qualification bid back on track this weekend at Marassi, but face a rejuvenated Cagliari side who are fighting for their Serie A lives. Doria suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss at Lazio last week which saw boss Walter Novellino lose his cool on the touchline, while the Sardinian outfit edged away from the danger zone with a 2-0 over Atalanta.

Sampdoria had seemingly taken a grip of their destiny this term at long last until their inconsistent form came back to haunt them. Their win-lose trend has lasted for the last four games and defeats to Milan and Lazio have underlined that they are no longer Serie A big boys. They were also overtaken in the table by Fiorentina on Sunday, despite the Viola’s 15-point deduction!

Novellino, who is said to be facing the chop at the end of the season in favour of Reggina’s Walter Mazzarri, should have a relatively strong squad to choose from. However, Cristan Terlizzi is out with injury and Francesco Flachi has been suspended for failing a routine drugs test. The tactician will also have Sergio Volpi unavailable. He picked up a minor thigh strain at the Olimpico which will rule him out for a month. Gennaro Delvecchio should get the nod instead.

Although Samp’s home record of six wins, four draws and three defeats is nothing to fear, Cagliari have won just once on the road this term thanks to a 1-0 at Catania on January 21. In fact, the 2-0 last week was their first triumph overall after five winless ties. The Rossoblu’s paltry tally of just eight goals outside of the Sant’Elia is also a statistic which doesn’t bode well.

However, there does seem to be a renewed air of optimism after boss Marco Giampaolo was recalled to the hotseat. Although they lost to Torino in his first game back, Cagliari looked a decent proposition in the last round of games. And in David Suazo, who scored the first against the Bergamo boys, they have a striker of real talent.

Giampaolo will again be without goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti and long-term absentee Mauro Esposito. Combative midfielder Daniele Conti is also out after picking up one yellow card too many this term. Andrea Capone and Simone Pepe, another scorer last week, will fight it out for Suazo’s striking partner.

Man on fire: David Suazo (Cagliari) – He netted the equaliser in the 1-1 at the Ferraris last term and is again set to be the one to watch.

Last season: Sampdoria 1-1 Cagliari

Form guide: Sampdoria (W W L W L) Cagliari (D L L L W)

Sampdoria (probable): Castellazzi; Zenoni, Falcone, Accardi, Pieri; Maggio, Palombo, Delvecchio, Franceschini; Quagliarella, Bonazzoli

Cagliari (probable): Fortin; Pisano, Lopez, Bianco, Del Grosso; Biondini, Budel, Colucci, D’Agostino; Capone, Suazo

channel4.com - Football Italia