R. Gagliardini has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by Éder.
Y. Nagatomo enters the game and replaces C. Ansaldi.
Martins simply slides the ball to Gagliardini to score the fifth with a stunner from distance.
GOALLLL!!!! INTER HAVE FIVE! Gagliardini notches his first Serie A goal and it's a fine strike from distance. Eder picks him out on the edge of the box and he takes a touch before drilling his effort into the bottom corner.
Nagatomo replaces Ansaldi as Pioli takes no chances with the full-back.
86'
The pace of the game has dropped significantly and the visitors are doing their utmost to try and take further time off the clock.
84'
Inter will want to see this match out with as little drama as possible. They're doing their utmost to take the pace out of the match.
82'
CHANCE! Ibarbo latches on to a throughball from Sau and only has Handanovic to beat, but he pulls his effort past the post.
81'
Ansaldi takes a knock in a challenge down the left and is forced temporarily from the pitch to receive treatment.
79'
OFF THE BAR! Mario runs down the left and into the box before cutting the ball back for Icardi. The striker has space and time to fire at goal, but with only Gabriel to beat his strike clatters off the bar and bounces over.
78'
D. Dessena enters the game and replaces N. Barella.
V. Ibarbo enters the game and replaces M. Borriello.
Borriello makes way for the home side to be replaced by Ibarbo.
Dessena replaces Barella in the midfeld for Cagliari.
77'
Barella sends the corner to the near post, but the visitors are able to clear their lines with ease.
76'
João Mário enters the game and replaces É. Banega.
Isla sends a dangerous cross to the back post for Pedro to compete for at the back post, but D'Ambrosio heads the ball behind for a corner.
Banega has been outstanding today and is repalced by Joao Mario late in the game.
Minute
Description
74'
Icardi makes a lung-bursting run to keep the ball in play and he knocks it back to Eder to strike. The effort from the Italian is tame, but Gabriel does not hold it at the first time of asking, but he quickly scampers to gather at the second attempt.
73'
Éder enters the game and replaces I. Perišić.
Perisic has played well this afternoon and now makes way for Eder.
72'
A. Ioniţă gets yellow.
Ionita heads into the book for a loose challenge on Gagliardini.
71'
WIDE! Candreva sends an early cross into the box from the right flank. Icardi rises in the six-yard area, but can only glance his effort wide of the post, although the ball may have taken a slight deflection off Alves.
70'
Sau breaks into the box and he picks out Pedro, who tries to beat the attentions of Medel. The striker goes down as Handanovic gathers the ball at his feet, but the referee waves play on.
69'
SAVE! Gabriel makes another fine stop to keep the scoreline down to deny Kondogbia. The Frenchman burst past three players on his forward run before unleashing a powerful strike at goal, only to see the Cagliari keeper pull off a fine diving save.
67'
Penalty goal scored by M. Icardi for Inter Milan!
GOALLLL! ICARDI FINDS THE NET! The Inter skipper puts the game beyond doubt as he holds his nerve, firing his right-footed strike into the top corner.
66'
PENALTY TO INTER! Icardi is brought down in the box by Gabriel and the referee points to the spot.
64'
Perisic bursts down the left after receiving Banega's pass, but solid defending from Pisacane stops him from gaining further ground. Cagliari have been so open at the back in the second half.
63'
BLOCK! Isla makes a crucial block in the box to deny Candreva as his strike appeared to be heading towards the bottom corner.
CHANCE! Miranda should put the game beyond doubt as Perisic picks him out in the box and he has a free header at goal, but can only head his effort straight at Gabriel.
62'
M. Sau enters the game and replaces D. Di Gennaro.
Di Gennaro makes way in an attacking sub from the home side as Sau replaces him.
61'
SAVE! Gabriel keeps the home side in the game with a brilliant save to deny to D'Ambrosio. The full-back latched on to Banega's pass and hammered his effort at goal, but the keeper was there with a fine diving stop.
59'
Banega has been everywhere on the pitch this afternoon and he pops up in the box to attack a cross from Ansaldi, but cannot generate sufficient power on his header to steer it towards goal.
57'
Banega takes the ball in stride in the left inside channel, but he just cannot turn it back across the face of goal as Alves clears the danger.
55'
N. Barella gets yellow.
CHANCE! Banega slides a pass to Candreva, who sends a teasing cross towards the back post. Icardi looks certain to meet the ball, but Gabriel comes off his line and gets a hand to it ahead of the Inter skipper.
Barella is booked for a foul on Miranda.
54'
Perisic has space and time once again on the left flank to send in a cross, but once again a Cagliari defender is able to clear the danger, with Alves getting there ahead of Icardi.
52'
PENALTY SHOUT! Icardi wants a penalty as he latches on to Banega's ball over the top and the Argentine goes down under pressure from Bruno Alves. The Inter captain looks back at the referee, but the official dismisses his appeal.
51'
Perisic has the freedom of the left flank to raid into and has the opportunity to pick out Candreva at the back post, but he fails to beat Pisacane with his low cross
49'
Cagliari had all the momentum heading into the break, but that has now been stifled by the visitors. Rastelli's men now have a huge challenge to get back into the game.
47'
I. Perišić has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
GOALLLL!!! PERISIC STRIKES AGAIN! Inter regain their two-goal cushion as Icardi drifts into the left inside channel and flicks the ball back to Perisic. The winger takes one touch to get the ball out of his feet before striking his effort beyond the reach of Gabriel into the bottom corner. A super effort.
46'
We're back underway in this Serie A clash.
45' +1
The referee ends the first half.
45'
There will be one minute of added time.
44'
CHANCE! The home side threaten again as Ionita rises highest in the box to head Barella's corner at goal, but Handanovic makes the save on his line.
42'
M. Borriello has scored a goal for Cagliari! Assist by N. Barella.
SAVE! Handanovic makes a brilliant save at his near post to keep out Di Gennaro's curling effort towards the near post, while Medel is on hand to clear the danger from the rebound.
Barella lifts the ball back into the box from the left flank and his delivery finds Borriello to convert.
GOALLLL!!!! BORIELLO GETS ONE BACK! Cagliari are back in the game as the striker drifts off his marker in the box and steers Barella's cross beyond Handanovic into the bottom corner. A fine finish from close range.
41'
Miranda bundles Borriello over in the final third and Cagliari win a free-kick on the edge of the box, although this one is on the right flank rather than in the centre.
39'
É. Banega has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
GOALLL!!! SUPER STRIKE FROM BANEGA! The Argentine doubles his side's lead as he lifts the ball over the wall and into the top corner, with a fine strike with his right foot. Gabriel had no chance due to the power and precision of the effort.
38'
Inter attempt to play their way through the Cagliari defence and D'Ambrosio's throughball is blocked by the arm of Pisacane on the edge of the box. The referee awards the visitors a free-kick in a very dangerous position, with Banega standing over the ball.
37'
Borriello makes a run into the left inside channel and gets eased off the ball by Medel. The striker goes down looking for a penalty, but the referee dismisses his appeal.
34'
I. Perišić has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by É. Banega.
GOALLL!!! PERISIC FIRES INTER AHEAD! The Nerazzurri take the lead as Banega slides a delightful throughball for Perisic, whose runs sees him escape the attention of Pisacane. He takes one touch to control before firing a left-footed strike past Gabriel.
Banega cuts open the Cagliari defence with a precise throughball, allowing Perisic to finish.
33'
It has been an open game of football thus far, with both sides displaying decent play in the final third of the pitch.
32'
OFF THE BAR! Kondogbia comes inches away from handing his side the lead. The Frenchman guides his header towards goal and Gabriel had to backpeddle to tip the ball on to the bar. It bounces then in the six-yard box, but there is no Inter player there to react, allowing Isla to clear.
29'
Isla slides a dangerous ball into the feet of Borriello in the box. He takes a good first touch, but just cannot release the ball back to Ionita under pressure from Miranda.
27'
Miranda escapes a booking for a high challenge on Pedro, although the home side get an opportunity to send a long ball into the box.
26'
CHANCE! Inter break with menace down the left and Perisic sends a dangerous cross to the back post. Icardi has to slide to make contact, but he loses his footing and scuffs his strike wide of the post.
24'
Inter almost catch Cagliari out with a quickly-taken throw-in down the right flank. Candreva and D'Ambrosio combine, with the former sending in a cross to the near post. Capuano slices his clearance, but the ball bounces kindly to Gabriel.
22'
After a slow start to the match, Inter are beginning to find their rhythm in their passing game. There's no way out for Cagliari at the moment.
20'
BLOCK! Gabriel attempts to come for Banega's corner and fails to make a clean connection on his punch. Perisic takes possession in the box and fires at goal, but his strike hits Kondogbia - who can't get out of the way in time - and the ball trickles out for a goal-kick.
19'
WIDE! Kondogbia is in the action once again as he attempts to fire at goal from distance, but on this occasion his effort is deflected wide of the post.
18'
CHANCE! Candreva's delivery causes havoc in the area, but Inter are unable to force an effort at goal until Kondogbia tries to swivel a strike with his left foot, but sends his effort over the bar.
16'
Candreva makes a run down the left and he goes down under the challenge of Barella. The referee awards the free-kick, but the home side are not happy about the decision. Replays show the Italian went down very easily.
15'
Borriello presses forward down the left and cuts inside into the box. He has options around him, but opts to go himself and then loses possession to Kondogbia on the edge.
13'
A long ball over the top causes confusion in the Inter backline, forcing Handanovic to race off his line to clear the ball into touch ahead of Borriello.
11'
Isla threatens down the right flank for the home side, but Perisic does well enough in his defensive duties to stop the cross, although he concedes a corner in the process.
9'
WIDE! Inter work the ball well in the final third as Candreva sends the ball back to the edge. Kondogbia cuts on to his left foot and fires at goal, but he pulls his strike wide of the target.
7'
OFF THE LINE! Medel comes to the rescue for Inter as Pedro lifts the ball over Handanovic in the box, but the Chilean scampers back to volley the ball off the line. Great play from the Inter defender after Pedro had beaten the offside trap.
5'
WIDE! Candreva makes a surge down the right flank and cuts inside to open up space for a strike, but he scuffs his effort wide of the post.
3'
Cagliari build down the left and Pedro attempts to latch on to a low ball down the flank, but Medel guides it out of play for a goal-kick.
2'
Medel and Joao Pedro collide on the edge of the box. That size matchup will be something to watch as the Inter defender is at a bit of a disadvantage in the air.
1'
We're underway in this Serie A contest.
As a result, the Nerazzurri need a response this afternoon against Cagliari, who will pose a stern test for Pioli's men on the road.
Inter's resurgence under Stefano Pioli has been blighted in recent weeks, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Juventus before losing 3-1 at the San Siro last time out against Roma as Radja Nainggolan scored a stunning brace.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Cagliari and Inter.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
Cagliari ended a five-match winless run by defeating Crotone last week thanks to goals from Joao Pedro and Marco Borriello. They beat Inter in their match at the San Siro earlier in the term and will be eager to perform a double over Pioli's men.
CAGLIARI (4-4-1-1): Gabriel; Isla, Pisacane, Bruno Alves, Capuano; Di Gennaro, Barella, Ionita, Padoin; Joao Pedro, Borriello
Massimo Rastelli has made three changes to his side this afternoon from their win over Crotone. Marco Capuano, Davide Di Gennaro and Borriello come into the side in place of Nicola Murru, Daniele Dessana and Marco Gau, who drop to the bench.
Inter are without Marcelo Brozovic for the match, with Ever Banega coming into the side to replace him. Cristian Ansaldi and Miranda also come into the fold, with Joao Mario and Juan Murillo dropping to the bench.
STAT ATTACK! Cagliari have lost only one of their last eight Serie A matches against Inter, winning three of the contests.
The players are making their way out on to the pitch, so we should be underway shortly.
HALF-TIME: CAGLIARI 1-2 INTER
Inter take a narrow lead into the break in this Serie A clash against Cagliari. It took a while for the quality to arrive in the final third, but when it did there was no stopping the onslaught in the final 15 minutes of the half.
First Ever Banega and Ivan Perisic combined to fire the visitors into the lead before the Argentine scored himself from a free-kick, putting Inter in control. However, Marco Borriello responded within four minutes to leave the match fairly balanced at the interval.
FULL-TIME: CAGLIARI 1-5 INTER MILAN
Inter put in a brilliant second-half performance to secure an important victory this afternoon over Cagliari. Ivan Perisic and Ever Banega were instrumental in the victory, sharing the first three goals before Mauro Icardo and Roberto Gagliardini put the icing on the cake.
Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.
The result moves Inter to within one point of fourth-placed Atalanta in the table, and they face a critical showdown with them next week. That should be a cracker!
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