Lecce vs Cagliari prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-08-30 16:30.
[p]It’s not been a great start to the season for Lecce, who’ve conceded six goals without reply en route to two successive losses. Admittedly, those matches came against strong opponents in the form of Atalanta and Inter, but worryingly for Lucca Gotti’s men, the last time Lecce lost both opening league matches without scoring was back in 2019/20 when they eventually finished 18th and suffered relegation[/p]
[p]Eager to avoid a repeat, Lecce have brought in former Milan man Ante Rebić, who could help add some firepower to the home side’s misfiring frontline. His first task is to make sure Lecce don’t lose what would be three straight Serie A games to open the season for the first time since 1997/98, but with no defeat in five consecutive H2Hs against Cagliari (W1, D4), history would suggest they’ll avoid that unwanted feat. [/p]
[p]A 1-1 draw against Como in the last round meant Cagliari started this Serie A campaign with back-to-back stalemates. It may not be a perfect record given both fixtures came at home, but did at least mean the Islanders remained unbeaten after the opening two top-flight matches for the first time since the 2010/11 season![/p]
[p]Only two league away wins last season (D5, L12) highlights why just two points from those opening two home matches could prove costly as Cagliari hit the road again. A lack of goals was their biggest undoing in those trips last season, with no Serie A side netting fewer than their total of 14. Five of those strikes did come across their final four league away matches of last season (W1, D1, L2), suggesting Davide Nicola’s side were starting to find their groove. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Lecce will be eager to end their current goalscoring drought, but if it’s to be Lameck Banda who breaks it, they may have to wait as he has scored three of his four Serie A goals after the break. Cagliari’s first Serie A goal this season was scored by their new arrival Roberto Piccoli who has now netted his side’s opener in six of his last eight goalscoring matches.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Lecce have failed to score in all five Serie A matches since their last H2H meeting with Cagliari (1-1).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Tomáš Vlasák[/i][/p]