| David Suazo's controversial penalty gave 10-man Cagliari a crucial away win and all but doomed record-breaking Treviso to the drop. No team in a 20-side Serie A had ever suffered 12 home defeats in a single season. Neither could afford a defeat in this relegation dogfight. Treviso had Christian Maggio and Paolo Dellafiore out injured, but Matteo Sereni returned between the posts.
Mauro Esposito had penalty appeals waved away after five minutes when he fell under a shoulder charge from Gustavo, but the referee waved play on.
Cagliari had a bright start and David Suazo drilled over the bar on Esposito's assist before they eventually took the lead after 11 minutes.
The trident attack combined smartly, as Suazo cut back for Antonio Langella's cross in for Esposito to tap in at the back post.
Antonio Chimenti was not fooled by a deflected Marco Borriello free kick and Treviso drew level with Walter Baseggio's debut Serie A goal. Pisano only cleared the ball as far as the former Anderlecht midfielder on the edge of the box and his precise left-foot strike found its way into the far bottom corner of the net.
Robert Acquafresca's looping header was just past the post, while Langella's hopeful cross was almost turned into a comical own goal by Marcello Cottafava.
Soon after, Ferri's effort from a corner kick was cleared off the line by a Treviso defender.
Borriello's free kick split the defensive wall and Chimenti was able to smother it.
Treviso made two changes at half-time, as Sereni's injury flared up again, while Antonio Filippini replaced defender Gustavo for a more attacking line-up.
Cagliari should've restored their lead after the break, but Esposito could only strike the near post from point-blank range on Langella's cross. If the Italian had left it for Suazo, it probably would've gone in with the goalkeeper stranded.
Borriello struck the side-netting with an impressive stop and volley, while Suazo's cushioned header on an Esposito cross was just over.
On 75 minutes the referee pointed to the spot, as William Viali was judged to have brought down Esposito inside the area, holding his arm first and then sticking out a leg. Treviso were furious at the decision, but Suazo drilled the penalty under the goalkeeper's body.
The tension was sky-high at the Stadio Omobono Tenni and Daniele Conti earned a second yellow card for a dreadful tackle on De Martino. A scuffle broke out, but there were no further dismissals.
Treviso threw on veteran hitman Luigi Beghetto for a final push, with Langella making way for Cagliari midfielder Conticchio, but the Sardinians hung on to their lead.
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