Cagliari-Lecce 1-0: Maldini's header knocks out the Salento side

Cagliari, September 7 , 2026 - A Daniel Maldini header on the half-hour hour gave Cagliari their second win of the season , defeating Lecce 1-0 at home at Unipol Domus. Based on what we saw over the course of the 90 minutes, it could have been a more convincing result, as Pisacane's team dominated the match for a long time, creating a significant number of chances and even hitting the post twice in the second half through Maldini and Mendy . In the end, however, Lecce—more through nerve than tactical prowess—still managed to avoid conceding a second goal and push forward, causing the Rossoblu defense some headaches and even calling for a penalty after contact in the box between Gagliardini and N'Dri. Maldini gives Cagliari the lead in the 29th minute Thanks to excellent build-up play and increased intensity, Cagliari immediately took control of the match. Up front, Maldini and Mendy provided no reference points for the Giallorossi defense and, with constant movement and pass-bys, also facilitated the midfielders' runs, constantly keeping Lecce in check. The team was often late in their tackles and unable to counter-attack in the offensive phase. However, one of the Giallorossi's rare offensive forays produced the first real chance of the match: Coulibaly scored in the 23rd minute with an acrobatic turn that forced Caprile to work overtime to tip the ball into the corner. It was an isolated flash, because after the cooling-off period, Cagliari regained full control of the match and broke the deadlock in the 29th minute : following a corner, Lecce's zonal defense culpably left Maldini free in the heart of the penalty area, where he headed the ball home unchallenged . This lead fully validates the first half-hour of the match and galvanizes Cagliari, who continue to push forward in the final minutes of the first half. Before halftime, however, there's room for another attempt from the visitors, courtesy of Stulic, who, at the end of a counterattack, unleashes a shot that Caprile saves with difficulty. Maldini and Mendy hit the post, but in the end Lecce also had a go The restart saw Di Francesco play the Fatah card—instead of Ngom—to provide an initial boost, but Cagliari, as was the case for much of the first 45 minutes, looked decidedly more energetic. It's no coincidence that after just one minute of play, the Rossoblu created their first colossal scoring opportunity of the second half with a beautiful exchange between Maldini and Mendy, who struck the base of the post to Falcone's left. It wasn't over, however, because moments later, the former Atalanta and AC Milan player almost scored, misfiring the ball from a very good position following a low cross from the left flank. These close calls raised alarm bells for a Lecce side that struggled to regroup and raise their focus as the minutes ticked by. At the back, however, the visiting team continued to stumble and take risks: in the 55th minute, Fazzini took advantage of a fortuitous collision between Gabriel and Ilic and raced toward the opposing goal, sending the ball spectacularly wide into the opposite lane. A clear opportunity also arose with just over half an hour to go, with Maldini's right-footed strike, set up by Adopo, narrowly missing the ball from the edge of the area. A few moments later, Felici's already long list of chances was added to the Salento side's already long list of chances, as he fed a cross from the right that Tiago Gabriel managed to clear at the last minute, preventing Maldini from deflecting the ball in front of goal, and Maldini himself hitting the post from a free kick. With his team once again at the mercy of Cagliari, Di Francesco then decided to make a triple substitution, bringing on Siebert, Maleh and N'Dri, while on the other side Piasacane brought the freshness of Fadera and Kofler into the Cagliari engine before having to deal - 18' from the end - with the knee injury that sidelined the new arrival Felici , who was replaced by Gagliardini. A blow that doesn't disrupt the monologue of the rossoblù, dominating the field even in a final straight of the match in which they come close to repeating the result with the new arrival Sugamele and with Adopo, who repeatedly warmed the gloves of a Falcone, who Lecce clings to and, only in an injury time marked by counterattacks from both sides, with the strength of their nerves tries to show signs of reaction, missing the equaliser on the developments of a move born from a recovery by N'Dri , who tries to serve Stulic all alone in front of Caprile, who however anticipates him with a providential exit. In injury time there is also room for an episode worthy of a slow-motion review : a contact in the area between Gagliardini and N'Dri, which the referee and VAR let pass, allowing Cagliari, who also took a risk on an acrobatic save by Siebert, to breathe a sigh of relief and secure another three points . The scoreboard: Cagliari (4-3-2-1): Caprile; Zé Pedro, Deiola, Rodriguez (from 66' Kofler), Obert; Romano, Winks, Adopo; Fazzini (from 61' Felici and from 72' Gagliardini), Maldini (from 66' Fadera); Mendy (from 74' Sugamele). Pisacane Lecce Coach (4-3-3): Falcone; Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Gaspar (from 66' Siebert), Gallo; Coulibaly, Ngom (from 46' Fatah), Ilic (from 66' Maleh); Pierotti (from 82' Berisha), Stulic, Monteiro (from 66' N'Dri). Coach Di Francesco. Goalscorers: Maldini (Cagliari 29'). Notes - Yellow Cards: Gaspar (Lecce), Deiola (Cagliari), Siebert (Lecce).