Cagliari and AC Milan met in their Serie A clash at the Stadio Sant'Elia on Sunday.
Milan boss Clarence Seedorf was looking to back up his good start in the league after his side beat Hellos Verona in his first match in charge, while the home side were hoping to bounce back from two successive defeats.
The hosts were in control of the game for 86 minutes after Marco Sau fired them ahead in the 28th minute, but late strikes from Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini won the game for Seedorf's side late on in dramatic fashion.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Cagliari and AC Milan.
Clarence Seedorf got off to a winning start in his new role as manager of Milan as his side overcame Hellas Verona in their clash in the league last week, as Mario Balotelli's penalty was enough to hand them the win. However, they were brought back down to earth with defeat to Udinese in the Coppa Italia during the week, so Seedorf will want a response from his side.
Cagliari are also in dire need of a win as they have slumped to back-to-back defeats in Serie A to Atalanta and Juventus, while they are without a victory in their last five games. With the last of those coming on December 8 against Genoa. A performance is needed against Seedorf's side.
Milan are currently in 11th in the table after taking 25 points from their 20 games so far this season, while Cagliari are three places below them in 14th after taking 21 points from the same amount of matches. Seedorf's side have won just once away from home this season, so there's a good chance for the hosts this afternoon.
The teams have been announced and we'll start with the home side.
CAGLIARI STARTING XI: Avramov, Pisano, Rossettini, Astori, Murru, Dessena, Conti, Ekdal, Cossu, Sau, Pinilla.
CAGLIARI SUBS: Ibraimi, Eriksson, Cabrera, Perico, Adan, Del Fabro, Solinas.
AC MILAN STARTING XI: Amelia, De Sciglio, Bonera, Rami, Emanuelson, De Jong, Montolivo, Honda, Kakà, Robinho, Balotelli.
AC MILAN SUBS: Coppola, Gabriel, Mexes, Abate, Constant, Muntari, Cristante, Birsa, Pazzini.
Milan are getting ready for the off against Cagliari.
-10 minutes to #CagliariMilan's kick-off! Pazzini, Robinho, Honda, Cristante and Abate are focused on the match. pic.twitter.com/RO0fw4k5fr
— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 26, 2014
The players are making their way out onto the pitch and we should be underway shortly.
KICKOFF! We're underway in this Serie A clash.
CHANCE! Amelia puts his side in all sorts of trouble as Milan knock the ball around at the back as his pass to Bonera is telegraphed and the defender is robbed by Pinilla who feeds Cossu in the middle of the box, but the striker can't get a shot away under pressure from Rami and Amelia dives at his feet to win try and win the ball on the six-yard box and the referee awards a free kick to Milan as a scramble occurs on the ground.
Milan respond to that early threat as hold the ball for a couple of minutes of comfortable possession before the ball gets to the feet of Robinho and he takes it inside and tries an ambitious effort at goal, which is deflected and the Cagliari defence clear.
Pinilla breaks forward and has Cossu in support with just three men back for Milan, but they can't quite decide what they are going to do as they knock the ball back to Pisano at right-back, who lifts a ball forward but Bonera cuts out the pass and clears.
CHANCE! Milan break on the counter after the Bonera clearance and Balotelli drives at Rossettini before sliding the ball to Robinho on the edge of the area, he takes a touch to get the ball out of his feet and launches a shot at goal, which goes just wide the of the post.
Milan threaten again this time down the right as De Sciglio fires a cross to the near post looking for the run of Balotelli, the ball is deflected but the striker still pursues and just as he is about to pull the trigger Avramov manages to get their first and diverts the ball behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner the ball is whipped to near post and Avramov tries to gather the ball and drops it, but fortunately for him there is no player in white around to knock the ball into the net and he claims it on the ground and clears.
Pisano raids down the right and his cross is headed behind by Rami as Cossu was lurking behind him looking to turn the ball in. From the corner, the ball is played short to Murru on the edge of the area and he strikes the ball first time but his effort goes well over the bar.
CHANCE! Balotelli comes close to handing Milan the lead as he breaks down the middle and gets to the edge of the box before firing a powerful right-footed shot at goal, but Avramov does well to beat the ball away to make the save. That's a warning for the home side.
CHANCE! Balotelli is involved again for Seedorf's side as he plays Honda beyond the Cagliari defence and the midfielder raids into the box, but he can't beat Avramov as he fires the ball into his body and the ball goes out for a corner. A good save by the keeper.
The ball pinballs around the area from the resulting corner but Milan can't force an effort at goal and the home side somehow manage to clear the danger.
SHOT! Cagliari break down the left and Murru hits a cross deep to the back post and finds Dessena who manages to keep the ball in play, the ball is worked out back to the left and the left-back decides to shoot at goal but his effort goes well over the bar again.
SHOT! Another long range shot from the home side as they can't get anywhere near the Milan box at the moment, the ball is about 30 yards from goal when Conti picks up a pass from Ekdal and the midfielder lets fly but his effort goes just wide of the post, as Amelia seemed confident it was going nowhere near the target.
Milan build down the right as Montolivo raids forward, he exchanges passes with Kaka and then finds De Sciglio down the flank, the full-back returns the ball to him and he decides to launch a cross at the back post where Balotelli and Robinho await, but his cross is far too high and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
GOAL! Cagliari 1-0 AC Milan (Sau)
Cagliari take the lead and Amelia didn't learn from his earlier mistake as his passing out of the back is to blame for the hosts going ahead, as he feeds Bonera short and the ball come back to him, he then slices a pass straight into Pinilla who lifts a ball into the box for Sau, who controls it and then turns his Bonera and the keeper and slots the ball into the net. A nice finish but just what was Amelia doing.
Milan are in dire need of a response now, if I was them I would keep the ball away from Amelia at all costs, meaning the only way to go is forward.
Seedorf's side have dominated possession since the goal, as Cagliari haven't had a kick since. However, the home side are holding their lines and are proving to be quite difficult to break down. Milan will have to take their chances when they come, as Cagliari look resolute this afternoon.
Milan build down the left and a nice pass from Montolivo releases Emanuelson down the left and he fires a first-time cross into the area looking for Balotelli at the back post, but Astori is there to clear the ball behind for a corner. Good positional sense from the defender there.
Cagliari look dangerous on the break as they break up a Milan attack and raid down the right, Pisano lifts a cross to the back post and the ball loops over the head of De Sciglio but Pinilla is not there down the left to turn the ball into the net. That was a great ball into the area but there was no-one there from the home side to capitalise.
Milan have a chance to threaten as they win a free kick down the right. Robinho stands over the ball and whips the ball to the near post but his cross doesn't beat the first man and is cleared, but only as far as Montolivo 30 yards from goal and he shoots at goal but his effort goes well over the bar.
CHANCE! Honda comes close to getting an equaliser for his side but he heads straight at Avramov who makes a good save to palm the ball away from goal, from the midfielder's effort from six yards after he latched onto De Sciglio's pinpoint cross into the penalty area.
There's a distinct lack or urgency from Seedorf's side at the moment. They look very vulnerable on the counter and their passing and movement lacks any penetrations into the Cagliari lines at the moment.
CHANCE! Cagliari have a chance to double their lead as Bonera has a shocker at the back as he misses his clearance from a ball into the area and presents Pinilla with the ball, the forward shoots but Rami is there to cover for his partner at the back to deflect the ball behind for a corner.
Milan clear their lines from the corner and have some respite as they will go into the break just one goal behind.
There will be one minute of added time.
HALF TIME: Cagliari 1-0 AC Milan
Cagliari lead as the break as they capitalised on a huge error from Amelia and Sau made no mistake with a clinical finish to put his side ahead. Milan have looked vulnerable at the back but have had their moments in attack as Honda has missed two great opportunities, but he hit them both at Avramov, which is the reason why his side are behind.
Milan have looked decent in possession but everytime they lose the ball upfield they look very vulnerable to the counter from the home side. This is dangerous as the longer they trail in the game the more desperate they will become, they have to get an early goal in the second half to change the hosts tactics.
The players are back out on the pitch and we should be back underway shortly.
We're back underway in this Serie A clash.
SHOT! Montolivo has the first effort of the second half, as Honda cuts the ball back to him about 25 yards from goal and his strike is always heading wide of the target as Avramov watches it past his post.
Sau goes down in the centre circle under the challenge for De Jong. He goes down holding his leg quite theatrically and replays show the midfield won the ball but went through the back of the striker to get it, but it doesn't look quite as bad as he is making out to be.
The ball almost falls to Pinilla down the right as Dessena slips the ball into his path on the edge of the area, and just as he is about to shoot at goal De Jong comes in with an excellent tackle to win the ball. Great defensive work by the Dutchman.
CHANCE! Balotelli misses an absolute sitter from close range, as Kaka got round the back of the Cagliari defence and slid a low ball into the area, Robinho missed it, and the ball fell to the Italian who struck it first time on the turn from six yards out but he sent the ball miles over the bar. It wasn't even close to finding the net, that's extremely poor from him.
Robinho raids into the box and tries to fire an effort at goal but all the time he is pressured by Astori and when he does eventually shoot his shot goes wide of the target. Good defending by the home side.
CHANCE! Honda comes close yet again for the visitors as he surges forward from midfield and plays the ball out wide to Robinho, who slips a through ball back inside for his run into the box, but the midfielder can't compose himself in time and chips his effort over the bar. Wasteful again from the Japan international.
SUBSTITUTION: Robinho is coming off for the home side and is replaced by Pazzini.
The home side are doing a good job of keeping possession at the moment, Milan had raised the tempo slightly after the break which led to a couple of opportunities but by keeping the ball away from them, those have nullified in the last few minutes.
Honda drives forward again through the middle, he looks for options but decides to go himself after capitalising from a mistake in Cagliari's possession game but just as he was about to pull the trigger inside the box Pisano comes across to win the ball with a good challenge.
CHANCE! Milan are really upping the ante in the last few minutes, as Honda slides a through ball into the path of Balotelli down the left channel and he takes a touch inside onto his right foot before firing an effort at goal, but Avramov makes the save as the ball was hit straight at him by the Italian.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A change each for either side as De Jong is replaced by Muntari for Milan, and the goalscorer Sau is replaced by Cabrera.
CHANCE! Pinilla and the substitute Cabrera exchanges passes down the right and the forward makes a nice turn on the edge of the area and drills a left-footed shot at goal, his strike beats the outstretched hand of Amelia but goes past the post. That was so close to all but sealing the game for the home side.
Milan are seeing quite a bit of the ball now, but are lacking in ideas when they get into the final third of the pitch as Balotelli gets the ball and tries to shoot inside the area but he is crowded out and Milan eventually lose the ball, as Cagliari make the intervention and clear.
Cagliari are looking a threat on the break again as Montolivo loses possession upfield and Cabrera tries an ambitious pass over the top for Pinilla which the forward almost reaches, but it goes out of play for the goal kick. Another goal for the home side would end the game at this stage.
Astori does extremely well for the home side as Honda looked to find the run of Pazzini over the top with a lofted pass into the area, but the defender read the pass and the run from the striker and made the interception and cleared the danger for his side.
CHANCE! Milan win a free kick down the right and Honda whips the ball into the box and finds Kaka at the back post, who wins a header and his effort looks to be goalbound but Astori is there again to clear the ball away as Pazzini looked to pounce on the ball inside the six-yard box.
It's all hands to the pumps for the home side as Milan are really putting them under pressure in the last few minutes of the game.
YELLOW CARD! Cabrera goes into the book for a deliberate handball on the edge of the area as he tried to clear the ball. This presents Milan with an excellent chance to level as Balotelli stands over the ball from 20 yards out.
GOAL! Cagliari 1-1 AC Milan (Balotelli)
Milan get their equaliser as Balotelli fires the free kick over the wall and into the net, past Avramov who didn't move as the shot was past him before he even knew it. That was a great free kick from Balotelli and that will make up for his poor performance for the majority of the game.
Milan are smelling blood at the moment, as Kaka races down the left and whips a dangerous cross to the back post looking for the run of Balotelli but the ball also curls towards the net, but once again Astori is there to clear the ball behind for a corner. Where would the home side be today without him.
YELLOW CARD! Never far from controversy Balotelli goes into the book for an altercation in the area. In fact he was booked for his celebration from the goal.
GOAL! Cagliari 1-2 AC Milan (Pazzini)
Milan have turned this game right around in the past couple of minute as they take the lead in the 89th minute as Honda's corner isn't cleared properly and Pazzini is there inside the six-yard box to poke the ball into the net past Avramov. That is devastating for the home side, who looked in control of the game for 86 minutes.
There will be five minutes of added time.
Pazzini should get his second of the game and his side's third to seal the match as he somehow misses the target from two yards out as he latches onto a cross into the area from Kaka, fortunately for him the flag goes up for an apparent offside.
Cagliari are throwing everything forward as they try and get a late leveller, but it looks a bit futile as Milan are able to clear their lines.
FULL TIME: Cagliari 1-2 AC Milan
What a comeback from Milan as they somehow win the game despite trailing with just four minutes to go in the game, but the strikes from Balotelli and Pazzini have handed them back-to-back victories in the league under Seedorf and they now move to ninth in the Serie A table. It wasn't pretty from the visitors but they leave Cagliari with the three points.
Cagliari will be kicking themselves for losing their winning position but to also somehow come away from the game without any points after leading for the majority of the clash. They were the better side but didn't defend well enough during the latter stages and were duly punished. They are still in 14th place and just four points clear of the relegation zone.
That's all the action we have from Serie A today, thanks for joining our commentary. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
