Lazio vs Cagliari live: Nzola's goal shocks Lazio at Stadio Olimpico
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Cagliari led Lazio 1-0 at about 21 minutes in at the Stadio Olimpico, after M'Bala Nzola scored in the 21st minute (BBC Sport, live page).
- Lazio started the day second in Serie A with 25 points from nine games. Cagliari were tenth after three straight defeats (TelecomAsia).
- Confirmed lineups: Lazio (4-3-3) with Mandas in goal and Noslin up front. Cagliari (4-3-2-1) with Caprile, Maldini, and N'Zola (OneFootball).
The match everyone is searching for today is Lazio vs Cagliari. It is a Serie A Round 10 game at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. At the time of writing, Cagliari were leading 1-0 after about 21 minutes of play.
M'Bala Nzola scored the goal in the 21st minute. The BBC Sport live page showed the update.
What happened
The game kicked off at 14:00 UTC (7:00 PM PKT) on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Andrea Colombo is the referee, according to TelecomAsia's live match page. The first 18 minutes had no goals.
Then Cagliari found the net through Nzola at the 21-minute mark. The BBC Sport live page showed Lazio 0-1 Cagliari, with the game marked live.
The early stats tell an odd story. The BBC's match stats tab showed Lazio holding about 72 percent of the ball. Both sides had one shot each at that point.
Lazio were dominating the ball but were losing the match. That is the kind of game that keeps fans glued to their screens.
The confirmed lineups
Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso picked a 4-3-3, according to OneFootball. Christos Mandas starts in goal. The back four are Marco Floriani, Josip Sutalo, Oliver Provstgaard, and Nuno Tavares.
The midfield three are Davide Frattesi, Reda Belahyane, and Kenneth Taylor. Up front, Gustav Isaksen, Tijjani Noslin, and Mattia Zaccagni start. Sutalo starting was one of the big calls of the day, OneFootball reported.
Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane went with a 4-3-2-1, OneFootball reported. Elia Caprile is in goal. The defense is Zé Pedro, Alessandro Deiola, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Adam Obert.
The midfield three are Michel Adopo, Marco Romano, and Jacopo Fazzini. Behind striker M'Bala Nzola, Daniel Maldini and Saba Fadera support the attack. Fazzini starting was the other headline call.
Why it matters
This match matters most for Lazio. They are having one of their best starts in years. Gattuso took over from Maurizio Sarri, and the gamble is working.
After nine rounds, Lazio had eight wins and one draw, with 25 points. That put them second in the league table, according to TelecomAsia.
Their form before this game was scary. They thrashed Sassuolo 6-2 away on October 27, even after missing two penalties. They beat Juventus 3-0 away on October 18.
They beat Parma 2-1 at home on October 24. The goals are coming from all over the pitch. Noslin, Isaksen, and Frattesi are all scoring. The team is not relying on one star anymore.
Lazio had also beaten Cagliari in six of their last seven meetings, according to TelecomAsia. They had scored at least two goals in nine straight games before today. Nobody expected them to fall behind early.
Cagliari's story is the opposite. They are in tenth place. They lost their last three league games.
Roma beat them 4-2, Bologna beat them 2-0, and Monza beat them 4-0. Their attack is weak. Most of their goals come from Daniel Maldini.
Their defense breaks under pressure. A 1-0 lead at the Olimpico would be a huge result for them.
The history between these teams
Lazio and Cagliari have met 81 times in official games, according to TelecomAsia. Lazio have 44 wins. Cagliari have 19 wins.
Eighteen games ended in draws. Last season, Lazio won the home game 2-0 in November 2025. The away game in February 2026 ended 0-0. That draw may give Cagliari some belief today.
For context, Getafe vs Sevilla is another European league game being watched today. Spanish football fans can follow that live too. Women's football fans had an early treat too.
Arsenal hosted Aston Villa in the Women's Super League today.
What happens next
About 70 minutes remain at the time of writing. Lazio have plenty of time to fight back. With 72 percent of the ball, they should create more chances.
Isaksen, Noslin, and Zaccagni are all dangerous in front of goal. A draw would still keep their unbeaten run alive. A win would keep the pressure on at the top of the table.
Cagliari now have something to defend. They have lost three in a row. Coach Fabio Pisacane built a team that knows how to hold on to results.
The question is whether their defense can survive Lazio's pressure for over an hour.
We will update this story when the full-time result is confirmed.
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