It was a bittersweet Friday for Tiago Gabriel. The young center-back finally broke his scoring drought, netting his first goal for Lecce and in Italy’s Serie A. However, that personal triumph was overshadowed by another painful defeat for his squad. Lecce hosted Cagliari, only to fall 2-1. This result came on the fourth matchday of the season, leaving fans with more questions than answers.
Gabriel, a Portugal U21 international, gave Lecce an early lead, scoring just five minutes into the game. It felt like a promising start. But then, the tide turned. Andrea Belotti, a familiar name who once played for Benfica, took center stage. He leveled the score for Cagliari in the 33rd minute. Later, in the 71st minute, Belotti completed his brace by converting a penalty kick, sealing the comeback victory for the visitors.
Despite Gabriel’s memorable goal, Lecce’s struggles continue. The team remains stuck at the very bottom of the Serie A standings, holding onto just one lonely point. Meanwhile, Cagliari enjoyed a significant boost from this win. They provisionally jumped up to third place in the league table, now sitting comfortably with seven points.