Cagliari 2 : 2 Sampdoria - Cagliari comeback clinches point

Posted Sunday, October 19, 2014 by PA

Cagliari came from two goals behind to grab a point against Sampdoria, who ended the game with only 10 men.

Manolo Gabbiadini and Pedro Obiang had Sampdoria on course for their fifth win of the season, but a red card to Fabrizio Cacciatore and a penalty just shy of the hour mark proved to be the turning point in the game.

Danilo Avelar converted from the spot before Marco Sau earned Zdenek Zeman's men a point.

In spite of the perhaps controversial way in which Cagliari got back into the game, they were worthy of the point if only for the performance of Victor Ibarbo.

The Colombian giant proved to be a constant thorn in the side of the Samp defenders, heading just wide in the 26th minute.

Minutes later, Gabbiadini met Angelo Palombo's chipped free-kick with his outstretched leg to turn the ball past Michael Agazzi and put Samp in front against the run of play.

Obiang then doubled their lead, holding off his marker before shooting to the right of Agazzi from just over 20 yards out.

Zeman clearly found some harsh words for his team during the interval as the lethargic Cagliari side from the first half made way for a more passionate one in the second.

They might have had no chance to recover had Gabbiadini's effort gone in rather than hit the post in the 50th minute, but they were given a helping hand seven minutes later when Ibarbo burst into the penalty area and went to ground.

Cacciatore appeared to have made contact with the ball but the tackle was from behind and the referee pointed to the spot, producing a second yellow card for the Samp defender.

Avelar lifted his spot-kick high into the top right-hand corner to give the Sardinians hope.

Francesco Pisano had a shot saved well by Sergio Romero, in goal for the injured Emiliano Viviano, as Cagliari launched attack after attack, finding an equaliser in the 77th minute when Sau shifted Avelar's pass onto his right foot before sweeping the ball low past Romero.

Cagliari had a late goal disallowed for a foul as Samp just managed to hold on to a point.