Lorenzo De Silvestri started the score and Marko Arnautovic made it 2-0 in stoppage time when Bologna outplayed bottom-placed Cagliari in a rough encounter with few chances in Monday’s football match. The Casteddu were left empty-handed once again, putting further pressure on Walter Mazzarri, after arriving in Bologna with a hope to gain points.
The coach has failed to turn things around after taking over from Leonardo Semplici in Sardinia, and the match against Bologna was just the latest chapter in a gloomy story for the visitors. While Marko Arnautovic returned in time to play for the hosts on Monday Nahitan Nandez started the game for the guests.
In the goalless first half at the Renato Dall’Ara, the Sardinians had no huge chances as both teams were combative and nervous. Marko Arnautovic split the defense after 49 minutes with a brilliant through pass to Lorenzo De Silvestri, and the game finally opened up. The full-back was sprinting towards Alessio Cragno’s goal and was able to tap it in past the Cagliari goalkeeper.
In the 83rd minute, substitute Nicola Sansone hit the crossbar as the hosts moved closer to a second goal than the visitors. A scuffle broke out within the Bologna section, during the final minute of the game, bringing an intense conclusion to a lacklustre effort from both sides. Martin Caceres, who came on to replace Alessandro Deiola in the 69th minute, was sent off after an altercation in the opposition’s box.
On Monday Cagliari looked frustrated in Bologna, and the home side was agitated by late challenges near the finish of the game. Both teams seemed unhappy with referee Davide Massa, albeit for different reasons, as the game came to a close. Arnautovic was pushed through one-on-one against Cragno in the 96th minute, and he doubled the lead in stoppage time.
Watch football highlights of the Serie A match in which Bologna outplayed 10-man Cagliari. After 11 Serie A games, Bologna has 15 points, while Cagliari remains in last place with six points, two points behind safety.
