Cagliari took an early lead with a Gaetano penalty after just two minutes, but Alvini`s Frosinone equalized and nearly took the lead. In the closing stages, the home side dominated, scoring goals through Borrelli, Felici, and Cavuoti.
Cagliari secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Frosinone, with goals from Gaetano (penalty), Borrelli, Felici, and Cavuoti. Vergani scored Frosinone`s temporary equalizer. This win propels the Sardinians into the Coppa Italia Round of 16, where they will face Napoli.
An Open Contest
Cagliari coach Pisacane opted for a strategic rotation, fielding Ciocci in goal, Cavuoti as a left central midfielder, Gaetano as an attacking midfielder, and two promising 2005-born players, striker Kilicsoy and left-back Idrissi. Similarly, Frosinone`s Alvini utilized a lineup to assess less-used players. With Ghedjemis absent, Pisseri started in goal, and a youthful midfield trio of Ndow (2005), Cichella (2005), and Grosso (2006) was deployed. The match began vibrantly, largely due to Borrelli`s initiative and Cittadini`s error. The Cagliari forward surged down the right, cut inside, nutmegged the defender, and was fouled, earning a penalty. Gaetano coolly converted after just two minutes, giving the Sardinians an early lead.
Frosinone, adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, quickly sought an equalizer. In the 16th minute, Kvernadze found himself wide but shot off target when facing Ciocci. Cagliari almost doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Gaetano’s pass sent Kilicsoy through on goal, but Bracaglia’s superb recovery tackle denied the young Turk. Kilicsoy again showed skill in the 26th minute, getting past Ndow, but Gaetano`s shot from his low cross went high due to an awkward bounce. The game remained balanced, and Frosinone leveled the score in the 36th minute. A corner from Masciangelo was headed on by Gelli, and Vergani was quickest to control and slot the ball home. Just three minutes later, Frosinone nearly took the lead from another Masciangelo corner, with Ndow’s header hitting the crossbar. At halftime, the score was 1-1 after Zappa was substituted for Di Pardo due to a muscle injury.
Felici Steals the Show
After the break, Pisacane made tactical changes, replacing Kilicsoy and Rog with Felici and Deiola, shifting to a 4-2-3-1 formation with Borrelli as the lone striker. Similar to the first half, Cagliari started the second period with an overwhelming attacking drive. Felici, operating on the left, created chances for Borrelli, whose shot was brilliantly saved off the line by Pisseri, and then tested the goalkeeper himself with a powerful strike from outside the box. Cavuoti also tried his luck from distance. Alvini responded by swapping his wingers, Kvernadze and Masciangelo, but kept the same personnel.
Cagliari reclaimed the lead in the 67th minute. An Idrissi throw-in found Felici, who skillfully beat Cittadini, cut inside, and delivered a low pass to Borrelli, who clinically finished to make it 2-1. With ten minutes remaining, Cagliari extended their lead to 3-1. Sebastiano Esposito`s pass released Idrissi into open space, and Felici made an overlapping run before calmly slotting the ball past an onrushing Pisseri. The rout was completed in the 85th minute by Cavuoti. Borrelli skillfully held off Cittadini, who managed to recover but Cavuoti, after a quick exchange with Esposito, fired a left-footed shot into the net. Cagliari’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Frosinone sends them to the Coppa Italia Round of 16, where they will face Napoli away.
