CAGLIARI, ITALY – AUGUST 24: Sebastiano Luperto of Cagliari celebrates his goal 1-1 with teammates during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Sant’Elia on August 24, 2025 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Fiorentina were caught deep into stoppages by Sebastiano Luperto, as Cagliari cancelled out the Rolando Mandragora opener for a fiery 1-1 draw.
The Viola were fresh from Thursday’s 3-0 Conference League play-off win over Polissya, preparing for the second leg next week. Moise Kean was sent off in that tie, so didn’t need to be rested here, with Christian Kouame injured. The Sardinians had a rough start under new coach Fabio Pisacane, needing penalties to eliminate Virtus Entella in the Coppa Italia first round, with Leonardo Pavoletti nursing a knee injury. Roberto Piccoli was left out ahead of his imminent transfer to Fiorentina.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Robin Gosens crucially anticipated Gennaro Borrelli at the back post, then made an even more remarkable goal-line clearance when the Michael Folorunsho header on a corner squirmed under David De Gea’s body on 20 minutes.
Borrelli also turned wide from close range after Adam Obert managed to keep a long ball in play and Zito Luvumbo only meekly prodded his finish straight at De Gea.
Those proved costly misses, because Fiorentina took the lead soon after when Rolando Mandragora got away from Yerry Mina to nod in the Albert Gudmundsson cross from the right.
Moise Kean tested Elia Caprile at the near post after cutting inside from the left, but the striker incredibly volleyed over from point-blank range after a set play was flicked on to the back post.
De Gea kept the clean sheet intact with a crucial late one-handed save to push the Gianluca Gaetano daisy-cutter away.
However, deep into stoppages De Gea was surprised by the Sebastiano Luperto flicked header from 12 yards on the Gaetano free kick, fumbling it over the line for the Cagliari equaliser.
Cagliari 1-1 Fiorentina
Mandragora 68 (F), Luperto 94 (C)
1
33
75′ 28
6
26
14
75′ 16
61′ 90
8
29
81′ 94
61′ 43
2
6
46′ 5
15
62′ 27
46′ 44
21
77′ 7
10
72′ 20
21
17
19
24
12
22
77
61′ 4
61′ 10
75′ 3
75′ 9
81′ 11
9
1
30
29
24
60
23
61
26
46′ 8
46′ 18
62′ 22
72′ 65
77′
