Mixed emotions of pride, relief, and regret lingered after the final whistle of Udinese-Cagliari, a Serie A Matchday 6 fixture. Udinese, despite creating significantly more scoring opportunities, was left with a bitter taste. Their finishing touch was notably absent; a superb performance by Caprile, combined with the goalposts denying Udinese on a couple of occasions, kept Cagliari in the game. The glaring errors by Zaniolo and Bayo in the second half epitomized the Bianconeri`s off-day in front of goal. For the Rossoblù, it was a precious, almost golden, point, earned through resilience and their ability to capitalize on one of their very few chances. In this regard, Borrelli proved to be an excellent substitute for Belotti.
Coach Runjaic`s Regret
“Football is unpredictable,” Runjaic stated in his post-match press conference, “sometimes you create a lot and don`t win, other times you get more than you deserve.”
The coach didn`t hide his disappointment over the missed chances but maintained a positive outlook for the future. “We work intensively during the week on both phases of the game. Our approach requires individual commitment; players must apply what is asked of them. It`s a matter of constant repetition, but today Bayo couldn`t convert; matches are different from training sessions. It`s crucial for strikers to create chances, and both Davis and Zaniolo had them, the latter a huge one. There are strikers who score even without many opportunities, but currently, we are not managing to do so.”
Pisacane`s Honesty and Sportsmanship
“On points, Udinese would have deserved a better result,” Pisacane admitted with great sportsmanship, commenting on the draw, which was earned with character but also a touch of luck.
“I`m disappointed,” he continued, “because in the first half we had defended quite well, but then the opponent found a way to become dangerous. From midfield forward, Udinese is a strong team; in the second half, they gained confidence, partly due to our error on a corner kick where they perhaps deserved to score, and then with two other `gifts` we gave them. We were facing a team playing at home, pressing incessantly, and despite their pressure, we immediately sought vertical plays, but sometimes we should have managed possession better and slowed down the game.”
