Cagliari 2-2 Roma: Match report, reaction and key statistics

Strootman fired home off the underside of the bar moments into the second half to score his first Serie A goal in nearly 1000 days – and give his side a 2-0 lead in the process – but Marco Sau’s late equaliser ensured it would ultimately be a frustrating evening for the visitors.

Diego Perotti had scored his third goal of the season (and his third penalty) after just six minutes to give Luciano Spalletti’s side an early advantage in Sardinia, before Strootman doubled the lead in the second half.

But Marco Borriello once again found the net against his old side to set up a tense final 30 minutes, during which there were chances at both ends of the pitch. But it was the Rossoblu who got the game’s all-important fourth goal, with Sau getting the faintest of touches to Mauricio Isla’s cross as the ball bounced agonisingly off the far post and in.

Team selection

Roma were handed a boost pre-match as Alessandro Florenzi was deemed fit to return to action, having missed the last two games through injury.

The Italian’s presence meant a change of position for Bruno Peres, who moved to the left flank in a defence completed by Kostas Manolas and Thomas Vermaelen.

The other notable change was upfront, as Diego Perotti played through the middle after last weekend’s two-goal cameo, with Edin Dzeko dropping to the substitutes’ bench for the first time this season.

Florenzi was also named captain, wearing the armband for the 13th time in his career.

Before kick-off their was a minute's remembrance for the victims of the recent earthquake disaster in central Italy.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

1' – Bruno Peres canters clear of the defence, but from a tight angle he puts his shot into the side-netting!

5' – Penalty! Isla is adjudged to have brought down El Shaarawy at the back post – and the referee points to the spot.

6' – GOAL! Perotti sends the keeper the wrong way with a low side-footed effort! 1-0 Roma!

11' – Di Gennaro fires low and wide of Szczesny’s goal from 20 yards.

12' – Close! Salah shoots a fraction wide after EL Shaarawy’s surging run sees the ball eventually fall to the Egyptian on the edge of the box.

14' – Manolas makes a great sliding block to deny Borriello. From the corner, Padoin’s long-range effort deflects fractionally wide.

28' – Di Gennaro has another speculative attempt that does not trouble Szczesny.

36' – Chance for Cagliari! Szczesny makes a fine save to keep out Borriello at his near post!

42' – Florenzi goes for the unlikely from 35 yards – his shot is always going marginally over.

44' – Post! Borriello stoops to meet Di Gennaro’s deep cross – his effort leaves Szczesny stranded but the post saves Roma!

1 / 7

2 / 7

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See more images in our match gallery.

SECOND HALF

46’ – GOAL! Dzeko replaces El Shaarawy and makes an instant impact, heading down for Kevin Strootman to lash home from close range! 0-2!

49’ – A half-chance for Dzeko, as Salah cuts the ball back to him – but the first-time shot is just wide.

56’ – Goal. Sau sees his shot saved brilliantly by Szczesny, but the rebound falls to Borriello and the ex-Roma man makes no mistake. 1-2.

63’ – Salamon smashes over as Cagliari begin to aply some pressure.

65’ – Dzeko’s shot is saved by Storari.

70’ – Peres breaks forward and forces a good save from Storari, as Dzeko’s attempt on the follow-up is blocked.

78’ – Dzeko cuts inside once again, forcing another good save from Storari with his outstretched leg.

78’ – Goal disallowed! Sau puts it in but the assistant referee had already flagged for offside.

87’ – Goal. Sau celebrates as he gets the last touch on Isla’s dangerous cross from inside the box. 2-2.

90’ – Dzeko spins onto Fazio’s knockdown – but his shot is over the bar!

90’ – So close, but Florenzi can’t turn Peres’ cross inside the far post!

Key match statistics

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Roma reaction

"I think we have to improve our overall game to get better results and I think they came here and gave us a hard time. [But] maybe 2-0 should be enough, so at the end of the day it is very disappointing."

- Thomas Vermaelen

"We had two chances to snatch victory at the end. We were still determined to win even after Cagliari got themselves level and we came within a whisker of restoring our lead. At that point we were playing well but it's hard to explain why we played the way we did when it was 2-1."

- Luciano Spalletti

What's next?

Some members of the squad will now go their separate ways for the forthcoming international break, which sees the start of World Cup qualifying in Europe. Roma, however, have a friendly lined up during that period - as they face San Lorenzo in the Festa della Famiglia on Saturday 3 September.

The Giallorossi are then back at the Stadio Olimpico the following weekend to resume league action - as they host Sampdoria on Sunday 11 September.

CAGLIARI 2-2 ROMA

Goalscorers: Borriello (56'), Sau (88'); Perotti (6' (p.)), Strootman (46')

Cagliari: Storari, Isla, Salamon, Bruno Alves, Murru, Padoin (Giannetti), Di Gennaro, Ionita, Barella (Deiola), Borriello, Sau (Munari).

Roma: Szczesny, Florenzi, Manolas, Vermaelen, Peres, De Rossi, Strootman (Paredes), Nainggolan, Salah, Perotti (Fazio), El Shaarawy (Dzeko).