Cagliari’s strong start continues, edges Sampdoria to go fourth
Rome, Italy - Cagliari continued its surprising start to the Italian League season on Monday, with Alberto Cerri scoring in the dying seconds to beat struggling Sampdoria 4-3.
The two teams put on a show to bring down the curtain on the 14th round of the season.
The Sardinian outfit showed all its strength of character after trailing 3-1 at home with a quarter of an hour to play to rescue three points and return to fourth in the table.
Fabio Quagliarella opened the scoring for Sampdoria with a penalty. Gaston Ramirez doubled the lead shortly after half time. Radja Nainggolan replied for the home team before Quagliarella restored the two-goal edge with a spectacular 70th minute goal.
Two volleyed goals in two minutes from Joao Pedro brought Cagliari level. In the fifth minute of added time, Cerri sent a powerful header into the top corner to snatch an unexpected and precious victory.
Rolando Maran's side is ahead of Roma on goal difference and two points behind third-placed Lazio.
Sampdoria remain one place above the relegation zone.
Brescia sacks coach Grosso
Rome, Italy - Mario Balotelli's Brescia sacked coach Fabio Grosso on Monday after just three matches and brought back Eugenio Corini, who the club at the bottom of league axed less than a month ago.
Grosso, 41, the leftback in
Italy's 2006 World Cup winning team, took over on November 5 with Brescia in 19th in the table.
He leaves after conceding ten goals in three defeats, the last a 3-0 home loss to Atalanta on Saturday.
The former Inter Milan and Juventus defender started his coaching career with Juventus' youth teams followed by a campaign at Serie B side Bari before leading Hellas Verona last season.
Corini was sacked after a 2-1 defeat on November 3 at Verona, a game overshadowed by racist abuse directed at Brescia forward Balotelli.
Grosso had a falling out with Balotelli, the club's biggest star, dropping the striker and saying he lacked desire in training.