Perugia starting XI (3-5-2): Furlan (GK), Rosi, Curado, Struna, Casasola, Iannoni, Santoro, Kouan, Lisi, Luperini, Olivieri.

Bench: Gori, Cancellieri, Angella, Vulic, Matos, Ekong, Bartolomei, Paz Blandon, Di Carmine, Abibi, Capezzi, Sgarbi.

Cagliari starting XI (5-3-2): Radunovic (GK), Azzi, Altare, Deiola, Goldaniga, Zappa, Mancosu, Makoumbou, Nandez, Lapadula, Prelec.

Bench: Viola, Aresti, Millico, Giocci, Lella, Barreca, Pavoletti, Obert, Kourfalidis, Luvumbo, Di Pardo.

Goals: Lapadula 5’ 87’, Azzi 30’, Mancosu 45’, Kourfalidis 49’

The home side enjoyed 60 per cent of the ball and even created one more chance than their opponents, but Cagliari were clinical, scoring five out of their six shots on target.

Cagliari took the lead within five minutes after a short corner led to a cross that managed to bounce in the six-yard box and evade everyone until it found Gianluca Lapadula waiting at the back post to finish into an empty net.

Nik Prelec went close to doubling their lead after he took the ball past his opponent and got a shot away that rattled the right post.

On the half hour mark Cagliari did go up 2-0 when Paulo Azzi’s cross into the box wasn’t dealt with yet again by Perugia’s defence.

No one got a touch on the ball, allowing it to hit the post and go in.

Just on the stroke of halftime, the match was put to bed via an absolute wonder strike from Marco Mancosu who chipped the keeper from within his own half thanks to a slick counterattack.

Four minutes after the break and Cagliari would have their fourth, all starting from a poor defensive back pass that was intercepted by Lapadula.

The resulting counterattack could have been stopped if Perugia midfield sprinted back, but instead they allowed Cagliari to take their time and readjust after an initially poor ball to finish the move.

Christos Kourfalidis was the beneficiary of the slack defending as he was given time to waltz in the box and finish off Prelec’s cutback with a strong near-post shot.

Perugia created a series of consecutive chances but were unable to get on the scoreboard.

Lapadula got his brace and made it 5-0 in the 87th minute when Perugia’s substitute goalkeeper parried a cross directly into his path, leaving him with the easiest of finishes.

Perugia now have two games to get out of the relegation zone.

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