Cagliari Calcio vs US Lecce

Cagliari ground out a nervy 1-0 win over Lecce at the Unipol Domus, a result built on one clinical moment in an otherwise scrappy afternoon. The hosts dominated the opening exchanges and made it count before the half-hour mark, though they'd have to survive some late scares to see it through. Daniel Maldini broke the deadlock in the 29th minute, rising to head home a corner, a goal he dedicated to teammate Kevin Carlos, who recently lost his mother. Maldini almost doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, rattling the post from a free kick, while Felici was forced off with a knee problem in the 70th. Lecce grew into the game late on, and only a smart save from Caprile preserved the clean sheet, with Deiola booked for protesting a penalty appeal that went unheeded. For Cagliari, it's a bounce-back result after their opening defeat to Inter, giving the Sardinians something to build on at home. Lecce, despite enjoying more possession, leave with nothing to show for a spirited finish and will need to sharpen their edge in front of goal.