As in the championship, even in the first leg of the playoffs Cagliari sees the victory fade in full stoppage time due to a penalty. It ends 1-1 with Bari and San Nicola will need a win on Sunday to return to Serie A.
Ranieri raises Mancosu behind the pair formed by Lapadula and Luvumbo. It is played on high rhythms in a Domus with a full house and immediately transformed into a bedlam. And after 9' Lapadula thought to unlock it: Mancosu's assist from the right and the striker headed in, immediately putting Cagliari ahead. Bari reacts and first tries with Esposito and then, from the next corner, with Zuzek with a header, who only puts out. In the 17th minute the reply leads to Lapadula's double, but the goal is disallowed and due to Luvumbo's offside at the start. On 22', a corner by Mancosu, a header by Deiola and a full crossbar.
Then Bari comes out, which pushes putting Cagliari in difficulty. And in the 37th minute another key episode of the first half: on Esposito's cross the Var sees a touch with the hand of Nandez and Marini points to the penalty spot. Cheddira kicks, but Radunovic is very good at intuiting and defending the advantage. In the final, in the 50th minute, a corner by Esposito and Cheddira, all alone, sensationally knocks his head out.
At the start of the second half, Radunovic again miraculously saves Cheddira thrown into the net. Cagliari suffers and loses Mancosu due to injury, replaced by Prelec. The goalkeeper proved unbeatable in the 15th minute on Benedetti's close back. Ranieri inserts Pavoletti for Lapadula, while Radunovic saves himself from Ceter in the 38th minute. Suffering ending, Cagliari also loses Nandez and, in the 44th minute, But in the 46th minute a touch from Altare on Folorunsho convinced the Var to call Mariani.
