In an intense Serie A match on 14 January 2024, Cagliari hosted Bologna at 14:00 EEST where the home side managed to secure a narrow but decisive victory with a 2-1 result.

Analyzing the data, it’s clear that this game was not dominated by either side. Both teams performed remarkably, each having its share of creating chances, defending, and controlling the ball. Although Bologna put up a spirited fight, Cagliari’s strategic execution won the day, evident in their turnaround from the early equalizer by Bologna in the first half.

The match started with Cagliari scoring the first goal within the first 31 minutes. However, Bologna quickly retaliated and found an equalizer 23 minutes into the game. Keeping the performance stakes high, Cagliari regained their lead early in the second half, at the 68th-minute mark, without any response from Bologna.

Cagliari was able to capitalize more effectively on their opportunities, scoring two goals despite having fewer corner kicks (2 against Bologna’s 5). This says about Cagliari's efficient ability to convert their possessions into goals. Moreover, Bologna was caught in an offside position more often than Cagliari (3 offsides versus Cagliari's 0). This indicates that Cagliari's defensive line was well coordinated to trap their opponent.

Fouls and yellow cards were also factors to look at in terms of team discipline and intensity. Cagliari committed more fouls (12 versus Bologna’s 8) which appears to indicate a more aggressive, perhaps even rash style of play. This could have had a considerable influence on the fluidity of the game for both sides. The higher number of fouls resulted in 3 yellow cards for Cagliari, one more than for Bologna which might have limited the home side’s performance options due to the nagging possibility of a sending-off.

In general, though, the match was hard-fought, and both teams showed significant competitiveness. However, Cagliari’s efficient exploitation of goal-scoring opportunities coupled with a well-coordinated defensive line that successfully called offsides on Bologna thrice, resulted in the decisive advantage that won them the match.

Therefore, even though Bologna was more disciplined and had more corner kicks, Cagliari proved that efficiency and precise execution – both offensively and defensively – can ultimately determine the outcome of a match.

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