Cagliari 1-1 Juventus: Kolo Muani header rescues late point for Spalletti’s side

Randal Kolo Muani’s late header rescued a point for Juventus but the Frenchman will still wonder how he failed to snatch all three as Luciano Spalletti’s side were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against high-flying Cagliari at the Unipol Domus.

The Bianconeri controlled large periods of the contest and finished with the bulk of possession and shots, yet they trailed for more than an hour after Daniel Maldini produced a clinical finish midway through the first half. Only when Kolo Muani rose to meet Kerim Alajbegovic’s precise cross nine minutes from time did the visitors restore parity, and even then they came within a whisker of claiming victory.

Cagliari, the surprise early-season package sitting in the upper reaches of the Serie A table, absorbed pressure with typical organisation under Fabio Pisacane and struck on the break. After Nicolas Gonzalez had diverted a chance wide from close range, the hosts broke with purpose in the 20th minute. Maldini exchanged passes, benefited from a helpful rebound involving Paul Mendy, and slotted low past Guglielmo Vicario for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Juventus continued to dominate the ball thereafter but struggled to find clear openings against a compact Rossoblu defence marshalled by Yerry Mina and Elia Caprile. The introduction of Alajbegovic and Edon Zhegrova at the interval injected greater urgency, and the equaliser finally arrived in the 81st minute when Alajbegovic delivered from the left and Kolo Muani, peeling away from Adam Obert, powered a header beyond Caprile.

Momentum briefly swung fully towards the visitors. Four minutes later Kolo Muani met another delivery and somehow crashed a close-range effort against the underside of the crossbar. The rebound fell invitingly for Woltemade, who could not convert. Caprile then produced further important interventions as Cagliari defended their point with discipline through five minutes of added time.

The result leaves Cagliari still among the early pace-setters while Juventus remain a short distance behind, denied a first away win of the season by a combination of clinical finishing from Maldini and a late, dramatic intervention from their own forward that ultimately proved incomplete.