Cagliari played a solid first half, but were also unlucky in failing to take the lead in Parma. The score remained 0-0 at halftime, with the Rossoblu hitting the post and having the better chances.

The Rossoblù lined up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, with Deiola and Rodríguez preferring Mina in defense, and Maldini making his debut from the start . The number 70, who had already made his debut for Cagliari as a substitute in the Coppa Italia against Arezzo, made a good run down the right in the fourth minute and passed to Mendy, whose shot was blocked. Parma made its presence felt in the 13th minute, following a mistake by Fazzini, Bernabé passed it straight to Touré, and Caprile saved a right-footed shot from the edge of the box.

The first big chance of the match came in the 15th minute for Cagliari, when Maldini received the ball twenty meters away and curled it onto his right foot for a splendid curling shot: Corvi was outplayed, and the shot went just wide of the top corner . After the half-time cooling-off, Maldini once again made his presence felt when Obert passed him in the box in the 28th minute, and he—rather than shoot—tried to dribble and lacked the momentum to finish the move.