Pisa v Cagliari: CM's player ratings

The home side played perhaps their best game of the season, despite being a man down for most of the match, proving that they still have plenty of fighting spirit.

Nicolas 6.5: He could do very little about the goal conceded, but otherwise controlled things well.

Calabresi 6.5: played a very convincing game, confident in defensive challenges, and managed to get forward well on the counter-attack. Had to come off injured at the end of the first half. (From 1’ of the second half, Albiol 6: on the goal, he was pushed out of position a bit by Pavoletti, but otherwise made a good impact.)

Caracciolo 8: a match he will remember for a long time. Defensively, he is a veritable wall, but today he made history in his career – and perhaps even for the current season – in the opposition’s penalty area, where he managed to score a brace of great character.

Canestrelli 7: an excellent performance in both phases of play. Valuable in his overlapping runs.

Leris 7: a well-rounded performance. He ran tirelessly, providing excellent support for his teammates behind the midfield line and creating great opportunities in the opposition’s half as well. (from 45’ s.t. Toure: n/a)

Marin: n/a (from 16’ 1st half Hoejholt 6.5: made a good impact on the game. Confident in tackles, he made his presence felt.)

Aebischer 7: plenty of strength in a high-risk area of the pitch, especially when outnumbered.  

Angori 7.5: touched an impressive number of balls, running and pressing throughout the match. Excellent communication with Moreo and also good at set pieces.

Moreo 8: one of his best performances so far. He showed tremendous character, scoring the opening goal and proving a threat on several other occasions. He was substituted to well-deserved applause from the home crowd.

Tramoni 6.5: linked up well with his teammates up front, also trying a few shots from distance. (from 27’ s.t. Akinsanmiro 6.5: supported his teammates well)

Durosinmi 4.5: caused a massive blunder in the first half that left his side a man down for almost the entire match. 

Manager Hiljemark 7.5: A combative Pisa side, well organised on the pitch, suffered very little despite being down to ten men from the first half. Excellent reading of the game, with the right substitutions at the right time. 

The visitors, despite playing with a man advantage for most of the match, never managed to take control, yet they were rarely in any real danger. This continues a run of poor results which, regardless of the league table, will need to be analysed in depth.

Caprile 6: despite the goals conceded, he saved an equal number of dangerous chances, preventing what might have been an even heavier defeat.

Zé Pedro 5.5: not entirely convincing today, he struggled particularly against Moreo. He was also largely absent in attack. (from 31’ s.t. Albarracin: n/a)

Dossena 5: struggled greatly to read the opposition’s high balls. Too inattentive on set pieces.

Mina 5.5: a few defensive misjudgements marred his performance. Substituted to bolster the attack. (from 1’ s.t. Zappa 6: made a good impact on coming on. Tried to get into space, though he was sometimes left isolated.)

Palestra 5: barely involved in the game today. Apart from a few crosses, one certainly expects more from a player of his quality.

Adopo 5.5: struggled to keep up with the pace of the game, remaining rather reserved. (from 1’ 2nd half Pavoletti 6.5: came on to add more threat to the attack and responded with a great goal. An example to his teammates.)

Gaetano 5.5: had to play deeper due to the constant presence of Moreo, who was pushing hard in his area. (from 19’ 2nd half: Mazzitelli 6: made his mark with some good vertical runs.)

Sulemana 5: truly out of form and out of the game. He never really got into the match, was too wide on the wing, and wasted a few potentially dangerous moves.

Obert 5: didn’t play badly in the first half, but in the second half he looked too nervous and was often late to the challenges. In fact, in the final quarter of an hour, he kicked Leris without ever getting the ball and was sent off for a second yellow card.

Folorunsho 5: a match to forget for him too. In defence, he almost never manages to close down as he should, whilst in attack he wastes too many chances.

Kilicsoy 5.5: a few wayward shots and little else. (From 19’ s.t. Trepy 6: a generally adequate performance after coming on.)

Manager Pisacane 5.5: despite having a numerical advantage for almost the entire match, he failed to get much out of a team that seemed to have lost its focus and optimal fitness. He tried to bolster the attack with substitutions, but the play never seemed fully organised.