Fiorentina were denied victory at the death as Sebastiano Luperto struck in stoppage time to earn Cagliari a dramatic 1-1 draw, cancelling out Rolando Mandragora’s opener in a tense Serie A clash.
The Viola entered the game buoyed by their 3-0 Conference League play-off triumph over Polissya on Thursday, with Moise Kean suspended for the second leg following his red card in that match.
Christian Kouamé was sidelined through injury, while Cagliari, under new boss Fabio Pisacane, were still searching for form after scraping past Virtus Entella on penalties in the Coppa Italia.
The visitors were also without the injured Leonardo Pavoletti, and Roberto Piccoli was omitted ahead of a move to Fiorentina.
Early on, Robin Gosens was decisive at both ends of the pitch, first cutting out Gennaro Borrelli’s effort at the back post, then producing a remarkable goal-line clearance after Michael Folorunsho’s header slipped under David De Gea’s body. Borrelli also missed from close range, while Zito Luvumbo failed to trouble the keeper with a tame finish.
Those squandered chances proved costly as Fiorentina broke through when Mandragora shook off Yerry Mina to meet Albert Gudmundsson’s delivery with a precise header.
Kean looked lively, drawing a stop from Elia Caprile before blasting a gilt-edged volley over the bar from just a few yards out.
De Gea preserved the lead with a sharp one-handed save from Gianluca Gaetano late on, but the Spaniard was finally beaten deep in stoppage time.
Gaetano’s free kick was flicked on by Luperto, and De Gea failed to hold it, fumbling the ball over the line to hand Cagliari a last-gasp equaliser.
