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CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Paul Mendy #31 of Cagliari scores the opening goal during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Cagliari won a 3-2 thriller against Atalanta and broke eight points clear of the relegation battle with Paul Mendy’s brace on his full debut, and Gennaro Borrelli off the bench, despite a Gianluca Scamacca brace.
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The Sardinians risked getting dragged back into the danger zone after scraping just one win and two draws in the last 10 rounds. Leonardo Pavoletti, Luca Mazzitelli, Mattia Felici and Riyad Idrissi were still out of action, but striker Paul Mendy got a surprise start with Marco Palestra benched against his parent club. La Dea were smarting after losing the Coppa Italia semi-final to Lazio on penalties, with Lorenzo Bernasconi sustaining a knee ligament injury and Isak Hien still struggling.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Cagliari youth team striker Mendy made an immediate impact on the first start of his professional career at the age of 19, as within 16 seconds he got his head to the Michel Adopo cross from the right and turned it into the net.
Incredibly, the teenager added another moments later. Marco Carnesecchi made a sensational save to deny Alessandro Deiola from a corner, but could do nothing when Mendy’s follow-up from six yards was deflected in off Berat Djimsiti’s chest.
They threatened a third on the counter sparked by Mendy, but Marten de Roon was decisive to stop Deiola sliding in from six yards on another low Adopo cross.
Atalanta woke up from their Coppa Italia hangover when Charles De Ketelaere’s effort was charged down, but Gianluca Scamacca bent the rebound into the far bottom corner with a wonderful curling right-foot finish from 14 yards.
Within five minutes, they had drawn level, as Giorgio Scalvini pulled back from the right for Scamacca to sweep in first time from 12 yards.
Juan Rodriguez risked an own goal when sliding in to intercept the Raoul Bellanova low cross moments later, but prodded it at teammate Elia Caprile.
Mendy’s dream full debut ended at half-time when he pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh, but his replacement Gennaro Borrelli took under a minute to add his contribution.
Michael Folorunsho rode two tackles to get the shot away, charged down by Sead Kolasinac, but only into the path of Borrelli to fire in for 3-2 from eight yards.
Marco Palestra came on against his parent club and Atalanta tried to use two centre-forwards together, pinning the Sardinians back into their own half, but barely troubling Caprile.
Borrelli’s game was brief, as he too pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh and was forced off the field for Cagliari. His replacement Andrea Belotti nearly scored within 20 seconds when sent clear on goal, but was denied by Carnesecchi one-on-one.
At the other end, Mario Pasalic’s acrobatic control and bicycle kick flashed just wide of the near post, then Caprile made an astonishing reaction save on Nikola Krstovic from the Ederson through ball.
Caprile was again called into action to prevent Scamacca’s header completing a hat-trick on the Lazar Samardzic cross.
It kept going to the final whistle, as Caprile made up for flapping at an Atalanta corner by rushing out to use his body against Raspadori’s finish from point-blank range.
Cagliari 3-2 Atalanta
Mendy 1, 8 (C), Scamacca 40, 45 (A), Borrelli 46 (C)
27-04-2026 17:30
MatchDay 34
Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)CagliariAtalanta
Live2 – 2
Player statistic
| Paul Mendy(Assist: Michel Adopo) | 1' |
| Paul Mendy | 8' |
| 40' | Gianluca Scamacca |
| 45' | Gianluca Scamacca |
Cagliari
Atalanta
Starting lineups
1
Elia Caprile
Goalkeeper
33
Adam Obert
Defender
15
Juan Rodríguez
Defender
26
Yerry Mina
Defender
32
Zé Pedro
Defender
14
Alessandro Deiola
Midfielder
10
Gianluca Gaetano
Midfielder
90
Michael Folorunsho
Midfielder
8
Michel Adopo
Midfielder
31
Paul Mendy
Attacker
94
Sebastiano Esposito
Attacker
29
Marco Carnesecchi
Goalkeeper
19
Berat Djimsiti
Defender
77
Davide Zappacosta
Defender
42
Giorgio Scalvini
Defender
16
Raoul Bellanova
Defender
23
Sead Kolasinac
Defender
8
Mario Pasalic
Midfielder
15
Marten de Roon
Midfielder
17
Charles De Ketelaere
Attacker
18
Giacomo Raspadori
Attacker
9
Gianluca Scamacca
Attacker
Substitutes
28
Gabriele Zappa
Defender
19
Andrea Belotti
Attacker
29
Gennaro Borrelli
Attacker
24
Giuseppe Ciocci
Goalkeeper
22
Alberto Dossena
Defender
25
Ibrahim Sulemana
Midfielder
2
Marco Palestra
Defender
9
Semih Kılıçsoy
Attacker
12
Alen Sherri
Goalkeeper
27
Joseph Liteta
Midfielder
37
Yael Trepy
Attacker
20
Agustín Albarracín
Midfielder
18
Othniel Raterink
Midfielder
59
Nicola Zalewski
Midfielder
10
Lazar Samardžić
Midfielder
57
Marco Sportiello
Goalkeeper
13
Éderson
Midfielder
5
Mitchel Bakker
Defender
3
Odilon Kossounou
Defender
90
Nikola Krstovic
Attacker
7
Kamaldeen Sulemana
Midfielder
4
Isak Hien
Defender
6
Yunus Musah
Midfielder
69
Honest Ahanor
Defender
40
Relja Obric
Defender
99
Piotr Pardel
Goalkeeper
