Fiorentina Snatch Last-Gasp 3-2 Win Over Cagliari in Nail-Biting Serie A Showdown

Arthur's Late Penalty Sends Fiorentina Past Cagliari in Serie A Thriller

The Unipol Domus stadium was buzzing, nerves crackling in the air as Fiorentina and Cagliari locked horns in a match packed with drama, twists, and barely a moment to breathe. Cagliari, scrapping to stay in Serie A, and Fiorentina, eager to keep their European dreams alive, served up a classic on May 23, 2024.

Both sides arrived with plenty at stake. Fiorentina sat 8th in the table, pushing for a European spot, while Cagliari, down in 15th, stared anxiously at the relegation zone. Every pass, every challenge, and every goal could have lasting consequences for the season's finale.

Cagliari, feeling the pressure from home fans hungry for survival, threw the first punch. Alessandro Deiola found space and fired the opener past a stunned KO in Fiorentina’s goal in the 64th minute. The stadium erupted—finally, hope was alive on Sardinian turf.

But that hope didn’t last long. Barely five minutes later, Fiorentina’s old hand Giacomo Bonaventura popped up at the other end to level the game, finishing a slick move that sliced through the Cagliari defense. His goal in the 39th minute was vintage Bonaventura—cool, composed, and a gut-punch to the hosts who thought they had the upper hand.

The game flowed from one end to the other, chances opening and closing in a flash. Fiorentina showed more attacking ambition, their passes connecting, and their front line buzzing. Still, Cagliari clung on, throwing their bodies into blocks, desperate for a point—or three—that could give them breathing room in the table.

With tension rising toward the final whistle, Nicolás González put Fiorentina in front in the 89th minute. His strike seemed to have settled things, breaking Cagliari hearts. But football thrives on chaos, and Cagliari’s Kingstone Mutandwa wasn’t about to go quietly. In the 85th minute—smack between Fiorentina’s second and third goals—he tucked in to reduce the gap, suddenly raising the tension yet again as added time loomed.

As stoppage time stretched on (and on—13 minutes were added), chaos turned to heartbreak for Cagliari. An exhausted defense finally cracked, giving Fiorentina a penalty deep into added time. Arthur stepped up, brushed the nerves aside, and rolled home the 3-2 winner, his right-footed shot nestling into the bottom left corner. The Fiorentina bench exploded—three points secured in almost the last possible moment.

• Fiorentina lined up with KO between the sticks, Bonaventura and González offering creative agony to Cagliari’s defenses, and Arthur controlling the midfield tempo. Their bench was deep, and substitutions brought just enough fresh legs to make a difference as the clock ticked down.
• Cagliari, with Scuffet in goal and the likes of Zappa, Obert, and Mina forming a resolute back line, fought with grit. Their front six tried to mix energy with urgency, but they were just outgunned in quality when the crucial moments arrived.

This wasn’t just another result for Fiorentina. It proved their ability to dig deep, to fight for every ball and capitalize when it matters most. With 57 points, they’re firmly in the race for Europe. Cagliari, meanwhile, are left licking their wounds, sitting with 36 points and frustration creeping in as relegation fears refuse to disappear.

The numbers show why the result mattered so much: Fiorentina’s attacking bravado has carried them through the season, while Cagliari’s defensive posture keeps them forever on a knife-edge. When the two collided, it created a Serie A classic—one that felt like it could swing either way right up to that 103rd-minute penalty.