EPL: Lazio Edge Cagliari 2-1 to Revive Top-Four Hopes

Lazio secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Cagliari, thanks to goals from Mattia Zaccagni and Taty Castellanos, to leapfrog Juventus into fourth place and revive their top-four hopes in Serie A.

Lazio secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Cagliari at the Sardegna Arena, keeping their hopes of a top-four finish in Serie A alive. This win marked a much-needed turnaround for Lazio, who had suffered two consecutive defeats in all competitions and had managed only one win in their previous five Serie A matches.

The hosts, Cagliari, started the match strongly, with Nicolas Viola testing Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel with a powerful low drive. Yerry Mina then headed Viola's corner straight at Provedel, who comfortably held the ball. Lazio thought they had taken the lead when Mina's attempted clearance looped back off Boulaye Dia and over Elia Caprile, but the goal was disallowed due to a handball by the visiting striker.

Just before half-time, Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni broke the deadlock, expertly directing Elseid Hysaj's cross into the bottom corner. This goal capped off a sustained period of Lazio pressure and gave them a crucial advantage heading into the second half.

However, Cagliari responded strongly after the break. Nadir Zortea dragged his effort wide, but the Isolani soon found themselves back on level terms. Roberto Piccoli scored his sixth goal of the season, heading Nicolas Viola's excellent corner home at the back post. This equalizer brought Cagliari back into the contest, setting the stage for a tense finale.

That's a wrap for MW23! 📜 pic.twitter.com/PFxbwbPQYA

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 3, 2025

Lazio regained control of the match after Cagliari's equalizer, asserting their dominance and creating scoring opportunities. Taty Castellanos and Alessandro Romagnoli were both denied by Elia Caprile, but Lazio's persistence eventually paid off. Mattia Zaccagni played a crucial role once again, providing the assist for Castellanos to score from close range and restore Lazio's lead.

Lazio get the win and three points! 🦅#CagliariLazio pic.twitter.com/jQHeEfkniC

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 3, 2025

Zaccagni continued to pose a threat, and he almost sealed the win when he was played in one-on-one with Caprile. However, the Cagliari goalkeeper made another impressive save to deny Zaccagni. Caprile then prevented Gustav Isaksen from finding the bottom corner, as Lazio pushed to extend their advantage.

Despite Lazio's dominance, Cagliari refused to give up and immediately launched a search for a second equalizer. However, their efforts were ultimately in vain, as Lazio held on to secure all three points. This hard-fought victory propelled Lazio into fourth place, leapfrogging Juventus in the process.

The win also extended Lazio's unbeaten streak in head-to-head matches against Cagliari to 20 games. In contrast, Cagliari's defeat marked their second consecutive loss, following a three-game unbeaten run at the start of 2025. The home team now finds themselves just one point above the relegation zone, adding pressure to their upcoming fixtures.