Cagliari, August 30, 2026 – Inter with full points after two matchdays. Calhanoglu is the Nerazzurri top scorer of this phase and his right foot early in the game decided the match against Cagliari. The Nerazzurri dominance was indisputable and clear, as were the squandered chances that allowed the Sardinians to stay in the game until the end.
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Many missed goals, even just steps from the goal, but the second win in two games has arrived: Chivu will have to work on finishing for the rest of the season, but in terms of play and quality of the maneuver, he can be satisfied. Pisacane, on the other hand, paid for a too submissive first half, then with the changes he managed to shake some Inter certainties, almost equalizing the match.
Calhanoglu’s gem
Chivu opts for some changes and launches Pavard in defense, then Sucic as mezzala and Luis Henrique on the right wing. Up front, Esposito and Lautaro confirmed. Pisacane with Mendy as the main striker, behind him Adopo and Maldini, with Fazzini giving order in front of the defense. The match, obviously, is made by Inter, thanks to ball possession and a high line, facilitated by a fairly cautious Cagliari in their own half. The first half chance comes from the classic cross from the left by Dimarco towards Lautaro, who is hindered from behind by Obert at the moment of the header. However, it only takes 9 minutes for the Nerazzurri to unlock it, thanks to the usual Calhanoglu, who places his right foot in the top corner on a perfect assist from Barella. The lead does not take away from the reigning champions the desire to continue to control the game, the ball remains at the feet of Chivu’s men and only on rare occasions does Cagliari manage to trigger the forwards, too isolated to cause damage. At 22’ Inter goes vertical thanks to Pio Esposito, in a hold-up version, then ball to Lautaro who shoots just wide. Two minutes later there is a free kick from Sucic from the left vertex that leads to Akanji’s flick, but again the ball goes out. The Nerazzurri dominance is clear and indisputable and at 26’ Barella tries from distance: punches from Caprile. The goalkeeper repeats himself a minute later on Dimarco’s close-range shot triggered by Barella, in an action that caused controversy from the Sardinians for a possible foul by Esposito on Deiola.
At 33’, instead, Caprile risks big with a reckless exit outside the area, in fact Barella anticipates him, but Rodriguez saves everything on the goal line. Chances rain down, at 35’ Sucic assists from the wing the right turn of Lautaro which is saved by Deiola before Caprile. Inter’s flaw, if we want, is the lack of a second goal, because in terms of play and production Chivu can be very satisfied. For Cagliari, in fact, the only allowed scheme is a long ball vertically towards a Mendy left alone in the care of Pavard, Akanji and Bastoni. Also at 41’ Inter comes close to the second with a great ball from Lautaro to Luis Henrique, who shoots just over the crossbar. At the end of the first half the total shots of the Nerazzurri are 16, including Dimarco’s left-footed shot after Esposito’s backheel: ball out once again. The 1-0 is very tight for Inter while for Pisacane it can almost be a bargain.
The many missed goals
The second half opens with a monumental action by Inter. Passing, openings, changes of play, then in tight spaces, on the left side, Dimarco triggers Calhanoglu who in turn leaves to Lautaro for the right shot that grazes the post. The Italian champions break through continuously. At 53’ Chivu’s team goes vertical with two touches, splendid Calhanoglu and Barella, then cross for Esposito who wastes the doubling from close range being hypnotized by Caprile. Pisacane has to change, in come Fadera and Kevin Carlos, the two of them almost equalize with the first real Sardinian chance of the match: Martinez saves. It is a phase of suffering for the Nerazzurri who shortly after also risk on Adopo’s vertical ball towards Carlos with Martinez’s providential exit saving the result. The first Inter substitutions come around the hour mark, in come Thuram, Zielinski and debutant Jones: immediately a reaction with the counterattack that the Frenchman controls towards Dimarco, then center for Lautaro’s right shot that again goes out.
The match gets messy for Inter, Pisacane’s substitutions have energized Cagliari, who removed tactical references from the Nerazzurri and, inside the chaos, the Sardinians seem to find themselves better. The cooling break helps Chivu to take a time out on the field to reorganize ideas, but the Sardinian pressure continues with Inter intent on counterattacking exploiting the quick legs of Thuram. At 76′, another assist from Dimarco, but also Bastoni fails to double from a good position, all while a minute later Thuram tries to deceive Caprile with a header, in a reckless exit, but the ball does not go in. So Cagliari goes with two strikers and inserts Borrelli alongside Carlos, intending to fill the area for the final assaults, with Obert shooting left: scare for the Nerazzurri. Siege. Adopo almost makes the Unipol Domus celebrate, miraculous save by Bisseck, and twenty seconds later Borrelli worries the defense with a flick that no one collects on the far post. On the other side, not even Lautaro closes it, triggered by Zielinski: left shot saved by Caprile. A match that should have already been locked down twice, instead remained in balance until the end, at the fifth minute of added time, when referee Fabbri called an end to hostilities. A well-deserved victory for Inter, but Chivu, we are sure, will emphasize cynicism. It is still two out of two for the Italian champions.
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