The salvation arithmetically achieved with 5 rounds to spare does not relax Genoa who, in the postponement of the 34th matchday, defeats Cagliari (3-0) leaving them stuck in the fight not to be relegated, only +3 on Udinese, third from last. The match was dominated far and wide by Gilardino’s men who took advantage of a team that approached the challenge poorly and couldn’t find the weapons to react once they went behind.
«The match report»
Thorsby opens, Frendrup doubles
Genoa started out determined and, after having had a general rehearsal with De Winter (header just wide), hit the target in the 17th minute: Sabelli with a precise cross from the right found Thorsby in the area who with a perfect header beat Scuffet. The Ligurians insisted and in the 29th minute they doubled their lead with a nice inside-right shot to cross by Frendrup, unmarked in the area by Vasquez.
The changes don’t wake up Cagliari
Cagliari, without the suspended Lovumbu, struggled to get back up and risked receiving a trio already before the end of the half from Retegui who put a right-footed shot just wide. Only in full injury time did the guests become dangerous, with a header from Deiola following a corner kick.
Ranieri tried to shake up his team by bringing in Lapadula, Nandez and Zappa in place of Oristanio, Di Pardo and Hatzidiakos but he had no answers. More toned and mentally free, Genoa continued to push, scaring Scuffet again with Thorsby and De Winter. Cagliari only regained the lead in the 60th minute following a dead ball with Lapadula heading the ball wide following a corner kick.
Gudmundsson scores the hat trick
Genoa were not impressed and in the 63rd minute they scored a deserved hat trick, taking advantage of an incorrect disengagement by Obert: Frendrup stole the ball at the limit and passed Gudmundsson in front of the goal, who had no problem making the 14th goal of the league (5th in last 7 games). The snapshot of the Sardinians’ bad night came in the 74th minute when Azzi, who had just come on for Shomurodov, put a diagonal left-footed shot just wide. Cagliari will now have to roll up their sleeves and try to start again from the delicate direct clash with Lecce, scheduled for Sunday lunchtime at the Unipol Domus.
GENOA-CAGLIARI 3-0 (2-0)
Genoa (3-5-2): Martinez 6; Vogliacco 6, De Winter 6, Vasquez 6.5 (28’st Cittadini 6); Sabelli 6.5 (19’st Spence 6), Frendrup 7.5, Badelj 6.5 (28’st Bohinen 6), Thorsby 7, Martin 6 (19’st Haps 6); Retegui 6, Gudmundsson 7 (33’st Vitinha 6). On the bench: Leali, Sommariva, Strootman, Ekuban, Hankeye. Coach: Gilardino.
Cagliari (3-4-1-2): Scuffet 5.5; Hatzidiakos 5.5 (1’st Zappa 6), Wieteska 5, Obert 5; Di Pardo 5.5 (1’st Nandez 6), Deiola 5, Prati 5.5, Augello 6 (40’st Kingstone sv.); Gaetano 5.5; Oristanio 6 (1’st Lapadula 6), Shomurodov 5.5 (28’st Azzi 6). On the bench: Radunovic, Aresti, Sulemana, Mina, Makoumbou, Petagna. Coach: Ranieri.
Referee: Dionysis of L’Aquila.
Networks: 17’pt Thorsby, 27’pt Frendrup, 18’st Gudmundsson.
Warned: Shomurodov, Augello.
Angles: 2-4.
Recovery: 1′ st, 3′ st.
