Lecce are doing surprisingly well this season, but it's crisis time for Cagliari with a fifth straight defeat.

This was already a crunch relegation dogfight and time was running out for Massimiliano Allegri after four consecutive Sardinian defeats. Including the Coppa Italia, Cagliari had five straight losses and hadn't scored in 329 minutes of football. Lecce were doing better and had stalled Inter at San Siro midweek before finally capitulating in the 78th minute. Angelo was stretchered off in that game and missed out here.

The history books didn't bode well for Cagliari, as in five previous Serie A trips to the Stadio Via del Mare they had won once in 1993-94 and scored just three goals.

Lecce had a strong start with Andrea Zanchetta's free kick, then after five minutes Marchetti came tearing out to smother Castillo's effort.

Robert Acquafresca's volley was off target, but Lecce opened the scoring with a spectacular strike from Guillermo Giacomazzi. The Uruguayan unleashed a sudden screamer from 30 metres that flew past Marchetti at the near post.

Cagliari have had real problems scoring goals and it showed, as Acquafresca's lob was off target and Biondini ballooned Larrivey's assist over from point-blank range.

Castillo's effort was charged down and Fabio Caserta's follow-up off target.

Castillo got his second goal of the season to double Lecce's advantage on the hour mark. Caserta found space down the left flank and raised the ball across the face of goal for Castillo's tap-in at the back post.

Andrea Lazzari came off the bench and whistled a shot just wide of the target. He set up a chance that Larrivey put in the back of the net, but it was ruled out for the assist-man's offside position.