Belotti brace helps Cagliari down Lecce in Serie A

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Lecce's central defender Tiago Gabriel, left, and Cagliari's center forward Andrea Belotti battle for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and Cagliari Calcio at the Via del Mare Stadium in Lecce, Italy, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Giovanni Evangelista/LaPresse via AP)

Lecce's midfielder Lassana Coulibaly, right, and Cagliari's center forward Semih Kılıçsoy battle for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and Cagliari Calcio at the Via del Mare Stadium in Lecce, Italy, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Giovanni Evangelista/LaPresse via AP) — Lecce's central defender Tiago Gabriel, left, and Cagliari's center forward Andrea Belotti battle for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and Cagliari Calcio at the Via del Mare Stadium in Lecce, Italy, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Giovanni Evangelista/LaPresse via AP)

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5:04 PM on Friday, September 19

The Associated Press

LECCE, Italy (AP) — Man of the match Andrea Belotti scored in each half as Cagliari beat Lecce 2-1 to record back-to-back wins in Serie A on Friday for the first time in more than a year.

Lecce was on the bottom of the table with one point after four games and already fretting over the likelihood of relegation. Lecce was off to its worst start to a season since 2005.

Lecce started the game well and took the lead in the fifth minute when Riccardo Sottil skipped past the right back and crossed for Tiago Gabriel to head home.

But Belotti was in clinical form at the other end for the Sardinian club.

Marco Palestra’s exquisite first touch from a Michael Folorunsho through pass gave him a split-second advantage and he squared to Belotti to lift over the goalkeeper minutes before halftime.

The well-travelled center forward made no mistake from the penalty spot in the second half to give the visitors all three points and lift them into fifth place.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer