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Serie A | Cagliari 0-1 Atalanta: Perfect 10 with Zaniolo

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Dec 14, 2024 10:54 AM ET

Nicolò Zaniolo came off the bench to snatch Atalanta’s 10^th consecutive Serie A victory and maintain their leadership, but Marco Carnesecchi performed five huge saves to deny Cagliari.

La Dea were top of the table after nine straight victories, but also irritated by the midweek 3-2 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. Mateo Retegui returned to the starting XI, with Ademola Lookman and Marten de Roon among those rested, Juan Cuadrado, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca not fully fit. The Sardinians had a full squad to choose from, including Atalanta products Roberto Piccoli and Nadir Zortea.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

Odilon Kossounou sprinted back to prevent Piccoli getting the shot away on a rapid counter-attack, while Marco Brescianini’s angled drive flashed just wide of the far post.

Cagliari had penalty appeals for Kossounou’s handling offence, but as he came sliding in and the Alessandro Deiola pull-back ricocheted off his leg first onto the arm, it was not considered intentional.

Marco Carnesecchi was called to make three huge saves in the same move. First he flew to claw away a scuffed Piccoli half-volley that looped up in an odd way, then used his legs to parry the Piccoli effort from eight yards, followed by a save on the Zortea follow-up.

Carnesecchi used his stomach to charge down another Piccoli attempt from point-blank range on a Yerry Mina knock-down in first half stoppages.

Gian Piero Gasperini was unimpressed and made three substitutions at half-time, including Isak Hien not fully fit. It almost made a big difference straight away, as Mario Pasalic prodded over from close range on a Charles De Ketelaere cross.

Zito Luvumbo hobbled off after spraining his ankle and Berat Djimsiti’s glancing header flashed wide, while Pasalic turned over from six yards on a Matteo Ruggeri cross and Kossounou forced a save on the Pasalic knock-down.

The substitutions really made an impact, because within a couple of minutes Lazar Samardzic’s cross had been knocked back from the by-line by Raoul Bellanova for the Nicolò Zaniolo tap-in from six yards. Just like when he scored against Roma, Zaniolo was then booked for over-celebrating near the Cagliari fans.

Moments later, Ademola Lookman cut inside from the left and fired low to thump the base of the near post, very similar to the goal he scored midweek against Real Madrid.

Cagliari poured forward seeking a late equaliser, Carnesecchi denying a diving Yerry Mina header from six yards, then another extraordinary save in stoppages on Leonardo Pavoletti’s header from point-blank range.

Atalanta had the chance to seal it on the counter, but Sebastiano Luperto kept up with Zaniolo and tackled him one-on-one.

Cagliari 0-1 Atalanta

Zaniolo 66 (A)

14-12-2024 14:00 MatchDay 16 Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Atalanta 0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Sebastiano Luperto

43'

2nd half

	49'	Marten de Roon
Tommaso Augello	52'
	66'

Nicolò Zaniolo (Assist: Raoul Bellanova) 66' Nicolò Zaniolo Adam Obert 86' 90+1'

Lazar Samardžić

Match statistic

44 Possession % 56 11 Total shots 12 7 Shots on target 2 2 Shots off target 8 2 Blocked shots 2 2 Corners 5 1 Offsides 4 16 Fouls 10 Cagliari Atalanta

Starting lineups

71 Alen Sherri Goalkeeper 28 Gabriele Zappa Defender 19 Nadir Zortea Defender 77' 6

Sebastiano Luperto Defender 3

Tommaso Augello Defender 71' 26

Yerry Mina Defender 14

Alessandro Deiola Midfielder 71' 29 Antoine Makoumbou Midfielder 77' 8

Michel Adopo Midfielder 91

Roberto Piccoli Attacker 77 Zito Luvumbo Attacker 53' 29

Marco Carnesecchi Goalkeeper 4 Isak Hien Defender 46' 22 Matteo Ruggeri Defender 3

Odilon Kossounou Defender 16

Raoul Bellanova Defender 23

Sead Kolasinac Defender 13

Éderson Midfielder 44

Marco Brescianini Midfielder 46' 8

Mario Pasalic Midfielder 64' 17

Charles De Ketelaere Attacker 64' 32

Mateo Retegui Attacker

46'

Substitutes

Simone Scuffet Goalkeeper 21

Jakub Jankto Midfielder 24

José Luis Palomino Defender 10

Nicolas Viola Midfielder 9

Gianluca Lapadula Attacker 23

Mateusz Wieteska Defender Giuseppe Ciocci Goalkeeper 16 Matteo Prati Midfielder 37 Paulo Azzi Attacker 80 Kingstone Mutandwa Attacker 97 Mattia Felici Attacker 53' 33 Adam Obert Defender 71' 70

Gianluca Gaetano Midfielder 71' 30

Leonardo Pavoletti Attacker 77' 18

Răzvan Marin Midfielder 77' 28

Rui Patrício Goalkeeper 7

Juan Cuadrado Midfielder 77

Davide Zappacosta Defender 31

Francesco Rossi Goalkeeper 2

Rafael Tolói Defender 6 Ibrahim Sulemana Midfielder 27 Marco Palestra Defender 5

Ben Godfrey Defender 19

Berat Djimsiti Defender 46' 15

Marten de Roon Midfielder 46' 11

Ademola Lookman Attacker 46' 10