Cagliari fight, hold Roma

Having crashed out of the Champions League play-offs in midweek after collapsing to a 3-0 defeat to Porto, Roma contrived to throw away a two-goal lead.

Milan, Aug. 29: Marco Sau produced a last-gasp leveller for newly-promoted Cagliari as they battled back to draw 2-2 with Roma in Serie A on Sunday and complete a difficult few days for the Giallorossi.

Genoa, who saw new Italy call-up Luca Pavoletti hit a brace in a 3-1 win away to newly-promoted Crotone, are top of the fledgling table, albeit level on a maximum six points with champions Juventus, Sampdoria and Sassuolo.

Juventus claimed a hardfought 1-0 win at Lazio on Saturday courtesy of Sami Khedira’s stylish 66thminute winner.

Roma contrived to throw away a two-goal lead in Sardinia. It took only six minutes for Luciano Spalletti’s visitors to break the deadlock, Diego Perotti hitting his third penalty in two games after Mauricio Isla hauled Stephan El Shaarawy down in the area.

Roma were given a great boost a minute after the restart when Kevin Strootman doubling their lead. But Marco Borriello pulled one back for the hosts just before the hour and in the dying minutes Roma ‘keeper Wojciech Szczesny was beaten again when he came rushing out as Sau glanced the ball past him and into the far corner of the net. — AFP