Esposito returns to scoring after more than nine months, but fails to bring Cagliari points: this time, there is no comeback for the rossoblù, with Sassuolo winning 1-2 at Unipol Domus.

Just before kickoff ( during the pre-match tribute, Cagliari's longtime kitman Piero Massa, who is retiring and playing his last game today, was honored ), it began to rain at Unipol Domus. The first quarter of an hour was subdued, with Idrissi failing to capitalize on a good opening on the left in the 7th minute and misfiring a cross into the center, an easy target for Murić. As the rain turned into a veritable deluge, in the 22nd minute, Palestra exchanged passes with Borrelli and fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the box. Candé blocked the move, calling for a handball, but it was no match.

Cagliari's goal was disallowed in the 28th minute: Palestra's cross was flicked on by Borrelli at the far post for Esposito to run in, but Esposito was found offside and the assistant denied . Three minutes later, Volpato had a go from the edge of the box, but his left-footed shot flew well over. Sassuolo, after racking up a series of corners, found Thorstvedt in the 42nd minute, but Caprile dived and saved his left-footed effort. In the 44th minute, he made a formidable save to deny Volpato with his foot. The half-time break followed two minutes of added time.

The second half resumed without the rain of the first half. But in the 54th minute, Sassuolo took the lead: from a contested free kick (Obert fouled Pinamonti) , Laurienté fired a stunning curling shot from just over 20 meters off the right, skipping over the wall and leaving Caprile motionless for a 0-1 lead . Cagliari responded with Zappa hitting the crossbar three minutes later, after Esposito recovered the ball on the edge of the box, having played it to his nearby teammate for a curling right-footer. On the hour mark, Zappa played it to Borrelli, who deflected it off Idzes and it landed a corner.