Leonardo Pavoletti struck twice in stoppage time to fire Cagliari to their first win of the Serie A season on Sunday, a stunning comeback from three goals down to beat Frosinone 4-3.
Veteran forward Pavoletti dragged promoted Cagliari off the bottom of the table with a 94th minute header and a tap-in two minutes later, his first goals of the season which completed an incredible win in Sardinia.
Claudio Ranieri’s side, who also missed a first half penalty and struck the woodwork, remain in the bottom three, but are a point behind Empoli who sit just above the drop zone on seven points.
“It’s wonderful, a win which we really fought for. And with a brace from me which I probably haven’t done for 20 years!” Pavoletti, who last hit double figures in Serie A in 2019, told DAZN.
“From now on it will be a different Cagliari you’re going to see. We’ll still have problems but we now what we need to do.”
Promoted Cagliari looked dead and buried in the 49th minute when Marco Brescianini netted Serie B champions Frosinone’s third after young gun Matias Soule’s brilliant first-half brace.
However, quick-fire strikes from Gaetano Oristanio and Antoine Makoumbou had the hosts back to within one goal with 14 minutes remaining.
After strong penalty shouts were denied following a VAR check Cagliari could have been forgiven for thinking their chances were gone, but Pavoletti, 34, stepped up to earn his team a memorable win.
Later on Sunday, Romelu Lukaku returns to Inter Milan with eight-placed Roma for the first time since his controversial summer departure, with the Belgium striker’s former club looking to established their two-point league lead after Juventus took top spot on Saturday night.
Police banned on Friday Inter fans’ plan to hand out tens of thousands of whistles with which to barrack Lukaku, but supporters were filmed defying the ruling outside the San Siro on Sunday afternoon.
Champions Napoli host fellow title contenders AC Milan in Sunday’s late match.
