AS Roma vs Cagliari 4-2

AS Roma beat Cagliari 4-2 at Stadio Olimpico after coming from behind twice and then pulling clear late on. A penalty decision checked by VAR set the tone early, before Roma took control after the break.

VAR confirmed a Cagliari penalty in the 7th minute and M'Bala Nzola converted on 10 minutes to put the visitors 1-0 up. AS Roma replied in the 15th minute when Emanuele Lulli, from Nahuel Molina's assist, levelled at 1-1, and Niccolò Pisilli then made it 2-1 on 21 minutes from Lulli's pass. The half-time score was AS Roma 2-1 Cagliari.

Cagliari drew level in the 81st minute when Daniel Maldini, who had come on in the 76th minute, finished from Adam Obert's assist to make it 2-2. Roma had made two changes on 56 minutes, sending on Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen, and those substitutions decided the closing stages: Mora, who came on in the 56th minute, restored the lead on 85 minutes from Daniele Ghilardi's assist, and Malen, also introduced on 56 minutes, sealed it two minutes later to make it 4-2. Cagliari had also made two changes on 76 minutes, including Maldini's introduction, while Roma replaced Emanuele Lulli on 76 minutes and Gianluca Mancini on 82 minutes.

The numbers were close despite the score. AS Roma had 61% of the possession and 584 passes to Cagliari's 373, with 20 shots to 19 and 8 on target each. Cagliari edged corners 8-7, while Roma's expected goals were 2.92 to 2.34 and the saves column read 6 for Roma and 4 for Cagliari. Both sides committed 8 fouls, and offsides finished 2-3.

Cagliari collected the only booking, with Juan Rodriguez shown a yellow card in the 90+4th minute. There were no red cards.