P. M'Poku has scored a goal for Cagliari! Assist by Danilo Avelar.
GOOOOOOOOOOAL! MPOKU MAKES IT 2-1! The substitute diverts a brilliant header into the bottom right corner, after being picked out by a wonderful cross from the left-hand side. Cagliari rush back to take the kick off.
90' +4
There's a brief stoppage in play, as Verde goes down with a spot of cramp. After chasing after his own stray touch, the Roma man goes down and needs to be stretched out before getting back up. He's done plenty of selfless running this afternoon.
90' +2
Ekdal drives to the left byline well, but Mapou tracks his man and slides in to give away a corner. The resulting set piece is swung in, before the Swedish midfielder nods high and wide of the near post! Time is really running out for Cagliari now.
90'
There are five minutes of stoppage time.
89'
De Sanctis is happy to waste as much time as possible while on the ball, standing with his foot on it until an opposition striker comes to close him down. It looks like job done for Garcia's men, who will close the gap between Serie A's top two clubs to seven points.
87'
Cagliari have to perform miracles to turn this game around now, but Zola's men aren't to be disheartened and immediately push onto the offensive. Mapou makes a good header to deny a cross from the left-hand side, with Longo yet to even get a sniff of the ball.
85'
L. Paredes has scored a goal for Roma! Assist by D. Verde.
GOOOOOOOOOOAL! PAREDES PUTS THE GAME BEYOND DOUBT! The substitute fires a lovely finish off the inside of the left-hand post, before the ball dribbles its way over the line! Brkic had no chance there, with the relief on the Roma players' faces rather evident! It's a wonderful strike from the former Boca man.
84'
S. Longo enters the game and replaces D. Čop.
Longo is thrown into the fray for Cagliari, with Cop withdrawn. The Croatian striker might just rue his missed chances at the end of this contest, as he could have scored twice to earn a much-needed three points for his side. There's still time for an equaliser, mind.
82'
P. M'Poku gets yellow.
A few free kicks and yellow cards continue to fracture play, with Roma making desperate and cynical challenges in the last couple of minutes. Mpoku receives his own booking for clattering through Keita once the former Valencia man had already passed the ball on.
81'
L. Paredes gets yellow.
Minute
Description
80'
We're into the final 10 minutes, with Roma playing with fire at the moment! Holebas gives away a free kick, which is cleared upfield to initiate a Giallorossi break! Sanabria manages to play a nice ball across the face of goal to Verde, but the Italian striker is denied by a strong save from Brkic! The Serbian goalkeeper really narrowed the angle well.
79'
J. Holebas gets yellow.
78'
M. Sau enters the game and replaces JP Galvão.
What a chance for Cop! He's missed another golden opportunity! The ball bobbles through to the Croatian after a missed interception from Mapou, before lifting a close-range effort over the crossbar from ten yards out when it looked easier to hit the target! If that's not a warning for Roma, I don't know what would be!
77'
Good defensive header from Holebas! The former Olympiakos man gets ahead of Joao Pedro to deny the Brazilian a chance on goal, before Astori has the nerve to nod the loose ball back into the arms of his own goalkeeper. Roma then break, with Sanabria firing a long-range effort straight at Brkic.
75'
Roma continue to sit back in two banks of four, inviting on more and more pressure from a resurgent Cagliari outfit. Donsah and Mpoku have been full of running in recent minutes, but De Sanctis is yet to be forced into anything other than a routine save.
74'
L. Paredes enters the game and replaces A. Ljajić.
73'
Donsah fires wide! The Ghanaian midfielder takes a positive touch out of his feet, before shooting from 25 yards out, but can only drag the ball some way wide of the left-hand post! De Sanctis is furious that his defence allowed for that shot to make its way through to him.
72'
Mpoku races down the left-hand side, before the ball is worked across the face of the box to Conti! The central midfielder unleashes a very powerful effort, but can only rocket the ball high into the stand behind De Sanctis' goal!
70'
Only 20 minutes remain for Roma to hold onto what would be a vital three points. Due to injuries and AFCON duty, Garcia really doesn't have anything on the bench to change this match, with the Giallorossi perhaps required to merely weather the storm as a result.
68'
De Sanctis is able to collect a cross from Mpoku, as Cagliari continue in relentless fashion. Roma have been trapped in their own half for the last ten minutes, with Mapou fortunate to earn his side a free kick after being bustled to the ground by Cop. The former Dinamo Zagreb man would have been through on goal, but for the referee's whistle.
66'
Huge chance for Cop! The Croatian striker is found in plenty of space in the box by a good flick on from Joao Pedro, but can only fire a close-range effort directly at De Sanctis! He should be scoring there and he knows it!
65'
Sanabria is yet to touch the ball after being brought into the fray, with Cagliari dominating possession in midfield. The Rossoblu push down the left and win a corner, but Roma manage to head clear at the near post. The hosts recycle possession, but yet another aimless delivery into the box is easily dealt with.
63'
Keita battles to win a free kick in the centre of the park, with Roma struggling to hold onto the ball for more than ten seconds. Cagliari really have their opponents rattled at the moment. The Giallorossi need a win here, otherwise the gap between themselves and Juve will be huge.
62'
A. Sanabria enters the game and replaces F. Totti.
61'
P. M'Poku enters the game and replaces A. González.
Mpoku is introduced for the home side, with Zola's men having just shy of half an hour to complete a fightback. Sanabria is being prepared for the visitors, with the young Paraguayan striker having just returned from international duty.
59'
Rossettini forces De Sanctis into a save! The defender is picked out in space at the back post from a free kick, but can only drag a tame strike within reaching distance of the Roma goalkeeper. Zola's men are pushing forward with real menace, but the visitors are standing firm for now. Ekdal then blasts a shot directly at De Sanctis from 20 yards out.
57'
Play is slowed somewhat by a few knocks to Roma personnel, with the hosts exceptionally keen to get the game back underway each time to continue their good recent momentum. Gonzalez is set away down the right-hand side, but Holebas uses his pace well to make a good clearance.
55'
It's still all Cagliari, with the hosts on the prowl for an equaliser. Gonzalez finds Ekdal on the edge of the box, before the Swedish midfielder blasts a terrible effort high and wide of the target! Pjanic leaves the field for some treatment on his elbow, with the Bosnia international looking to be in considerable pain.
53'
Ljajic is left in a heap on the floor, with the ball put out sportingly by Cagliari. Danilo Avelar appeared to catch the ankle of the Serbian with his raised studs, with Roma's physios called immediately onto the field. He looks okay to continue, despite getting back to his feet somewhat gingerly.
51'
Zola's men are looking much more positive in the second half, with Roma being forced onto the back foot for the time being. Totti hasn't even touched the ball, with the Giallorossi forced back into banks of four.
49'
Brilliant effort from Rossettini! The defender takes a wonderful touch over his own head to set himself for a volley, but lifts a looping effort onto the roof of the net! That would have been some goal!
48'
Cagliari stream forward from the off, piling forward red and blue shirts to try and pose the Giallorossi some early questions. Nainggolan concedes a free kick 30 yards from goal, but it is charged down well by the Belgium international who gave away the dead ball situation in the first place.
46'
We are back underway in the second half at Stadio Sant'Elia! Cagliari have a lot of work to do if they are to turn this one around, but Zola has a few different options on his bench to make things interesting, not least the returning Marco Sau.
43'
Roma are looking a little bit more dangerous on the break now that they are a goal ahead, with Cagliari having little option but to push out slightly more in search of the ball. Given Garcia's men enjoying themselves during the last 20 minutes, Zola would presumably be content with his side staying in the game until the interval.
42'
A. Ljajić gets yellow.
41'
Less than five minutes are left on the clock before the half-time whistle, with Cagliari struggling to put any offensive passages of play together. Cop is full of running, but the Croatian is becoming a little bit isolated at the head of the hosts' attack.
39'
Well, Roma have their lead and now Cagliari just might have to go back to the drawing board. Now that the visitors have the goal they needed, Zola's men will have to be slightly more adventurous if they are to get back onto level terms.
37'
A. Ljajić has scored a goal for Roma! Assist by D. Verde.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! Avelar robs Verde of the ball on the right-hand side, as the young forward looks to skip around the Brazilian with a clever touch, but the left-back is penalised for a foul rather harshly. Roma take the free kick quickly, with a few passes resulting in Ljajic lifting the ball into the ceiling of the net! Excellent scooped assist from Verde!
35'
L. Rossettini gets yellow.
There are only 10 minutes until the half-time interval, with Roma perhaps keen to bag a breakthrough goal before retiring to their dressing room for a while. The longer this stays goalless, the more the home side will believe that they can steal a share of the spoils to aid their relegation plight.
33'
Keita is furious with the referee's decision to penalise him for supposedly catching Ekdal in the face deliberately with a raised arm. Cagliari don't manage to make anything of the dead-ball situation, however, with Zola cautious to send too many players forward.
31'
With half an hour on the clock, Garcia will be happy with how his travelling outfit have grown into this game. Holebas and Torosidis are beginning to get more freedom to support the attack. Totti is able to knock down a back-post cross, but Verde is unable to pounce upon the loose ball and Cagliari clear.
29'
Torosidis works his way to the right byline, before feeding Verde on the overlap, but the Roma forward's eventual cross is easy for Brkic to catch. The away side are building up some pressure now, with the hosts conceding a few too many corners.
27'
Side netting for Verde! The Primavera product sprints into the box to get on the end of a loose ball, but can only sweep a powerful drive the wrong side of the near post! Brkic was worried there!
26'
Verde sees a shot blocked on the edge of the box, earning the Giallorossi another corner. It is turned behind again by a red and blue shirt, with the next set piece being headed clear at the near post. Roma collect the scraps, with Nainggolan feeding Ljajic, but the former Fiorentina man can only blast an effort straight at Brkic.
24'
Zola will be pleased with his side's performance thus far, as Roma have struggled to exert any kind of dominance. Garcia's men haven't been able to set up camp inside the opposition half, with most of their possession remaining some 60 yards from Brkic's goal. Cop takes down a long ball brilliantly, before clipping in a back-post cross, but De Sanctis claims.
22'
Holebas and Torosidis are Roma's only real width, but their crosses into the box haven't been up to standard thus far. Keita is acting as the vital anchorman for Garcia's men, filling gaps in the defence to allow teammates to take more advanced positions up. Torosidis breaks into the box well, before being tackled brilliantly by a recovering Ekdal.
20'
De Sanctis stays alert to race off his line and hoof a through ball intended for Cop away from danger. Cagliari are getting Roma turned and causing a few problems, while Brkic remains a relative spectator at the other end of the field.
19'
Great stop from De Sanctis! Cop is fed down the left-hand channel, before being tracked well by Mapou. He unleashes an effort from a tight angle, but the goalkeeper stands tall to parry the ball to relative safety, before the French defender does the rest.
17'
Cagliari continue to compete, with Roma struggling to get the ball to stick to their attacking options. Totti, Ljajic and Verde have seen very little service thus far, with most of the play in the midfield third.
15'
Cagliari try to play the ball quickly from left to right, but Donsah plays a ball that is too heavy down the line. Roma half clear, with the rebound falling to Cop, but the Croatian striker can only place a tame long-range effort within the grasp of De Sanctis.
13'
Joao Pedro is felled by a firm tackle from Nainggolan, but the referee allows for Roma to play on, with the visitors earning a free kick out on the right-hand side. Ljajic delivers, but the ball is easily hacked away at the near post. Poor stuff from the Serbian wide man.
11'
Cop is nearly released in behind the visiting back four, but De Sanctis is quick off his line to deny the former Dinamo Zagreb forward. Garcia's men are taking the game to their opponents, but thick banks of red and blue shirts are proving hard to play through.
9'
Just over from Verde! The youngster unleashes a ferocious strike that flashes over the crossbar from around 25 yards out! Brkic was a little bit worried there, flapping at the ball as it made its way behind.
8'
Zola has his side set out fairly negatively, remaining in a bank of four and five throughout. Rossettini heads clear a long ball that was in search of Verde, as the hosts weather a brief storm from Garcia's men. No clear cut chances for either goalkeeper to deal with yet.
6'
Holebas tries to break down the left-hand side, but is forced away from goal. Play is switched out to Torosidis on the right, but the Greek right-back's cross floats straight behind for a goal kick for Cagliari. Not the most polished start from the league's second-placed side.
4'
Roma get their foot on the ball and enjoy some patient possession, with Cagliari happy to sit in their shape and only press inside their own half. Torosidis tries to whip a cross in from the right, but it is deflected out for a Giallorossi corner.
2'
Torosidis makes a nervy clearance! The right-back hacks the ball away from inside his own six-yard box, giving away a corner. It is flicked on at the near post, but Garcia's men get the ball out of the danger zone promptly. Not an ideal start for the visitors.
1'
We are underway in the first half at Stadio Sant'Elia! The home side have looked reasonably solid in their last couple of matches on familiar turf and will look to make things difficult for Rudi Garcia's Scudetto-chasing men. Cagliari are in red and blue, while Roma don all white.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Roma's trip to face Cagliari in Serie A, with Rudi Garcia's men looking to close the gap between themselves and league leaders Juventus to seven points by the end of play. The hosts, meanwhile, sit merely a point above the drop zone, with the Rossoblu in need of a share of the spoils. Each of their home fixtures at Stadio Sant'Elia takes on an added importance given their current fight for survival.
I'm Simon Harrison and I will be keeping you up to date with all of the action, as the Giallorossi go in search of three points to keep the title race alive and to push themselves further clear of third-placed Napoli. Cagliari, however, have won their last two home Serie A fixtures, recording victories over Cesena and Sassuolo, but Roma are a rather different kettle of fish. Garcia's new signing aren't involved, but the visitors will fancy their chances regardless.
TEAM NEWS: Marco Sau is still sidelined for the home side, with Victor Ibarbo's departure leaving a further hole in Cagliari's attacking options. Otherwise, the hosts have a fully fit squad available to choose from. Josef Husbauer doesn't get his first Serie A start, despite recently joining from Sparta Prague. Duje Cop features up front once again for the home side, after making a move from Dinamo Zagreb over the winter transfer window.
TEAM NEWS: Kostas Manolas and Alessandro Florenzi miss out through suspension for the away side. New signings Victor Ibarbo and Seydou Doumbia are unavailable for the visitors, with the former injured and the latter away with Gervinho and Africa Cup of Nations finalists Cote D'Ivoire. Daniele De Rossi, Leandro Castan and Juan Iturbe are sidelined through injury, but Tonny Sanabria has returned from South American U20 action to feature on the bench.
HALF TIME! There's no time for stoppages, with the referee calling time on the half immediately! Roma hold a slender 1-0 lead at the break, courtesy of a wonderful team move capped by Adem Ljajic's finish. Cagliari aren't out of this yet, but will have to offer more offensively if they are to get back on level terms. Rejoin us for all of the action in ten minutes!
FULL TIME! Roma move to within seven points of Juventus at the summit of Serie A, following a hard-fought and tight 2-1 victory over Cagliari at Stadio Sant'Elia. Goals from Ljajic and Paredes were just enough for the away side, with Mpoku grabbing a consolation in second-half stoppage time. That's all we have time for, I've been Simon Harrison and I hope to see you again next time!
Commentary
More…