CAGLIARI, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Contrast with Santiago Daniel Pierotti of Lecce and Sebastiano Esposito of Cagliari during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant'Elia on February 16, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Lecce picked up a massively important 2-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Monday evening, which has lifted them out of the relegation zone at the expense of Fiorentina and has also drawn Genoa and Cremonses back into the dogfight: Omri Gandelman and Ylber Ramadani with the goals at the Unipol Domus. 

Click here to see how the teams lined up.

Riccardo Sottil came close after 28 minutes when the ball bounced up for him inside the penalty area, but the former Fiorentina man saw his shot sail over the crossbar. 

Gabriele Zappa also had an opportunity on the half volley inside the area down at the other end. The ball set up kinder for him than it did for Sottil, but he too blazed over the crossbar with his effort. 

The eventual Lecce opener couldn’t have come in much simpler circumstances. Sottil stood over a free kick just off the right flank, he lofted one into the area where January signing Gandelman rose and powered in a header from the edge of the six-yard box. 

That was the Israel international’s second goal in as many matches for the Salentini. 

CAGLIARI, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Omri Gandelman of Lecce scores his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant'Elia on February 16, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 16: Omri Gandelman of Lecce scores his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 16, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

It was another set-piece that indirectly led to Lecce doubling their advantage 10 minutes later. 

Another Sottil free-kick off the right was aimed at Gandelman again, but he was unable to get his head on it this time. Cagliari struggled to clear their lines, Ramadani found himself on the left corner of the penalty area and managed to squeeze a shot past Elia Caprile. 

The Cagliari stopper presumably saw the shot late, but will have been disappointed to have been beaten from that angle and range.  

This is an enormous three points for Lecce in their bid to avoid relegation to Serie B. They move out of the relegation zone and move three points above Fiorentina, and are now level on points with Genoa and Cremonese in 15th and 16th respectively.  

Cagliari now sit just four points above Lecce and have a seven-point cushion between themselves and the bottom three. 

Cagliari 0-2 Lecce

Gandelman 64’, Ramadani 76’. 

CAGLIARI, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Omri Gandelman of Lecce celebrates his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant'Elia on February 16, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 16: Omri Gandelman of Lecce celebrates his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 16, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

16-02-2026 19:45
MatchDay 25

Player statistic

2nd half
    64' Goal Omri Gandelman
(Assist: Riccardo Sottil)
    76' Goal Ylber Ramadani
(Assist: Lassana Coulibaly)

Match statistic

59
Possession %
41
11
Total shots
13
0
Shots on target
4
8
Shots off target
3
3
Blocked shots
6
8
Corners
2
0
Offsides
0
16
Fouls
14

CAG
LEC

Starting lineups

1
Goalkeeper
33
Defender
79'
28
Defender
57'
2
Defender
3
Defender
26
Defender
32
Defender
8
Midfielder
25
Midfielder
30
57'
94
30
Goalkeeper
25
Defender
17
Defender
4
Defender
44
Defender
29
Midfielder
90'
16
Midfielder
86'
20
Midfielder
23
Attacker
80'
50
86'
99
Attacker
80'

Substitutes

24
Goalkeeper
22
Defender
12
Goalkeeper
39
Defender
15
Defender
27
Midfielder
20
18
Midfielder
31
Attacker
4
Midfielder
57'
9
57'
37
Attacker
79'
14
32
Goalkeeper
1
Goalkeeper
36
Midfielder
18
Defender
11
Attacker
80
Midfielder
6
Midfielder
9
Attacker
80'
3
Defender
80'
79
Midfielder
86'
5
Defender
86'
8
Defender
90'

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ByPeter Young

Peter Young is a Senior Reporter with Football Italia.

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