Roma winger Diego Perotti. (Photo : Getty Images)
Last season's Serie B champions Cagliari Calcio (0-1-0, 0 points) will try to score their first win in the 2016-2017 Serie A season this Sunday, Aug. 28 against powerhouse team AS Roma (1-0-0, 3 points) at their home stadium of Stadio Sant'Elia.
Cagliari was routed by last season's 11th-place finisher Genoa CFC, 1-3, on the road at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris last Sunday as they open their return stint in the Italian top flight this term, ESPN reported.
It was a goalless first 45 minutes of play after Gli Isolani was able to stay at par with Il Grifone possession-by-possession. The first goal of the match was actually sunk by Cagliari striker Marco Borriello with a header from the center of the box off a perfectly-timed cross from attacking partner Marco Sau.
It was the only goal of the match for head coach Massimo Rastelli's side, though, as the hosts drilled three straight at the 78th, 79th, and 88th minutes, courtesy of Olivier Ntcham, Diego Laxalt, and Luca Rigoni respectively, to snatch the three points away from the visitors and welcome them back in the Italian first division domestic competitions.
Meanwhile, last season's third place finisher Roma demolished Udinese Calcio, 4-0, right at their home ground of Stadio Olimpico in Rome last Saturday to kick off their title challenge this term, as per USA Today.
Argentine winger Diego Perotti led head coach Luciano Spalletti's goalscorers with a penalty kick brace while striker Edin Dzeko and right winger Mohamed Salah netted one apiece to complete the hosts' four-goal haul in the match.
The game was also scoreless in the first half before Perotti scored his first spot kick at the 65th off a foul from Brazilian defender Danilo. He then doubled the lead ten minutes later with another one from the spot, this time from a yellow card handed to midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, who brought down Salah inside the box.
The next two goals were hit by Dzeko and Salah at the 82nd and 84th minute to take away the three points and temporary top position in the overall standings.
The predicted result is a 3-0 rout for Roma.
Cagliari starting lineup (3-5-2 formation): Storari; Ceppitelli, Alves, Capuano; Isla, Padoin, Di Gennaro, Ionita, Murru; Borriello, Sau
Roma starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Szczesny; Bruno, Manolas, Vermaelen, Emerson; Maksimovic, Nainggolan, Strootman; Salah, Dzeko, El Shaarawy
