A run of just one win in their past five Serie A matches has poured cold water on Lazio’s hopes of challenging for the title, but a win against relegation battlers Cagliari would see them move back into the UEFA Champions League qualification spots.
Early on, though, it was the hosts who impressed, with Nicolas Viola first testing Ivan Provedel with a fierce low drive before the Lazio goalkeeper easily held Yerry Mina’s header from Viola’s corner.
Nevertheless, Lazio thought they had taken the lead in bizarre circumstances when Mina’s attempted clearance looped back off Boulaye Dia and over Elia Caprile. However, the goal was ruled out for a handball from the visiting striker.
With half-time beckoning, it was the Biancocelesti who broke the deadlock through captain Mattia Zaccagni, who directed Elseid Hysaj’s cross into the bottom corner.
That effort was the result of a sustained spell of Lazio pressure, and it should have given them the momentum heading into the second half. Instead, though, Cagliari responded well, and after Nadir Zortea had dragged his effort wide, the Isolani were back on level terms before the hour mark. Roberto Piccoli was the goalscorer, heading Viola’s brilliant corner home at the back post for his sixth goal of the season – a career-best for him in the Italian top flight.
Yet Cagliari were unable to build on that equaliser as Lazio began to assert their authority. First, Taty Castellanos was denied by Caprile before the same happened to Alessandro Romagnoli, but Lazio were eventually able to restore their lead. Zaccagni was again involved, assisting Castellanos from close range.
The former almost put the game to bed when he was played in one-on-one, but the impressive Caprile was again equal to his shot and then prevented Gustav Isaksen from finding the bottom corner too.
Cagliari immediately went in search of a second equaliser, but in the end, they were unable to restore parity again as the visitors held on for all three points. As such, Lazio leapfrog Juventus into fourth spot and are now unbeaten in 20 H2Hs.
The home team, meanwhile, have now lost two games in a row after going unbeaten in the opening three games of 2025, and they remain only one point above the drop zone.