Second consecutive victory and always with a decisive goal by Maldini for Monza, which, thanks to the number 27's splendid free kick, overcame Cagliari 1-0 and flew to the break with 42 points in the standings, temporarily hooking Fiorentina in eighth place.
Spring afternoon at the U-Power Stadium and a strong start by the red and white. In the 2nd minute Dany Mota sprints and sows panic in the Sardinian defense, then serving Maldini, who with his right footer brushes wide. Immediately the striker, fresh from the decisive goal in Genoa and in his first start for the biancorosso, takes the lead. Cagliari desperately needed salvation points and defended cautiously. In the 30th minute the Sardinians show themselves with a low free kick by Lapadula, which does not frame the goal. Also inaccurate is Dossena, who in the 35th minute hits a header off a corner from the right, sending it out.
Perfect instead was the free kick drawn in the 42nd minute by Daniel Maldini, who signed his third league goal and sent the U-Power Stadium into delirium. The ball kisses the crossbar twice and goes in and Monza is ahead 1-0. Before halftime the double could also come, but Dany Mota's header off Pessina's cross goes just wide. The biancorossi start on the attack also in the resumption and after less than two minutes they ask for a penalty for Deiola's hands, but the referee lets it go on. Brianzoli who insist: in the 50th minute on Colpani's soft cross, Dany Mota almost makes it 2-0. Cagliari fails to react. In the 51' Colpani turns in the middle an inviting ball on which no biancorosso manages to correct in the net.
In the 63rd minute, first changes for Coach Palladino, who inserted Zerbin and Gagliardini. Cagliari struck the first shot of the second half in the 64th minute when Deiola unloaded a right-footed volley deflected into the corner by Bondo. Monza attacked again and in the 67th minute a deflected shot by Zerbin became an assist for Pessina who headed it in: Scuffet blocked. Palladino plays another double change in the 74th minute, sending on Valentin Carboni and Caldirola. Cagliari relies mostly on the flashes of Lapadula, who strikes again badly in the Biancorossa area in the 79', sending off a header. Colombo also entered the Monza side in the 81st minute and the number 9 could immediately make it 2-0, but he failed to close sufficiently his right-footed shot in front of Scuffet on Valentin Carboni's assist.
In the final, the red and white took no chances and brought home the valuable 1-0 win.
Fourth win in the last five matches and seven more points than last season for Palladino's team, which will return to the field after the break on Saturday, March 30, at 3 p.m., at home to Torino.
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