Penalties were needed to send Cagliari to the round of 32 of the Coppa Italia, in a match where anything could happen . Against Virtus Entella, the score was 1-1 after 90 minutes with an incredible finish, and the shootout ended 6-5 on aggregate. Cavuoti scored the decisive penalty, after Mina had missed the one that would have made it 2-0 just before Deiola's own goal.
The game was mirrored, with both teams using a 3-5-2 formation. A cross from the right by Zortea in the fourth minute found Folorunsho, but visiting goalkeeper Del Frate got there first. The first shot on target fell to Entella, with Fumagalli's right-footed shot from outside the box saved by Caprile in the seventh minute . A minute later, Luvumbo got there first, but he reached for the ball and couldn't control it: the move vanished.
After the first half's cooling-off period (24'), Cagliari had a good chance with Luvumbo, who ran away from his direct marker and looked for Piccoli in the middle, but his pass was too long. Shortly after, the Angolan had Benali booked, with Piccoli's right-footed free kick going wide (33'). It was number 91 himself who broke the deadlock in the 45th minute: Deiola recovered in midfield, the ball passed to Adopo who passed from the right to Piccoli, whose first-time shot crossed and Del Frate was beaten .
The second half was played without substitutions, with Parodi immediately shown a yellow card for stopping Idrissi in midfield. In the 64th minute, Sebastiano Esposito, making his debut, replaced Luvumbo, earning applause from the crowd. He was joined by Zappa for Idrissi. Esposito made his mark in the 73rd minute when he stole the ball from Marconi in the opposing midfield, played it to Piccoli in the box, and the scorer's shot to make it 1-0 was blocked by Del Frate, who came out low.
For the final thirteen minutes, there was another debut, a double: Kılıçsoy came on for Piccoli, Mazzitelli for Prati. Then there was time for a Caprile save in the 79th minute from a Russo shot at the near post. Esposito made his mark with a blocked right-footed shot, but it was the other new signing, Kılıçsoy, with a great play that hit the post: Esposito was the one to get the rebound, but Marconi fouled him and awarded a penalty. .
