Teenager Mendy nets brace as Cagliari edge past Atalanta in five-goal thriller

[p][b]The home side couldn’t have wished for a better start to the contest, as they took the lead with only 15 seconds played when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adopo-michel/thWJbHFE/"]Michel Adopo[/a] supplied a cross into the area that was headed home by Paul Mendy, making his first start in Serie A. [/b][/p][p]Mendy and his teammates were in dreamland just seven minutes later, as the 19-year-old struck for a second time to double the Isolani’s advantage.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a] had failed to clear their lines from a corner, and when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/deiola-alessandro/E9t2kgz3/"]Alessandro Deiola[/a]’s initial effort was saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carnesecchi-marco/8WujtCJF/"]Marco Carnesecchi[/a], Mendy’s strike on the rebound deflected off an unfortunate Berat Djimsiti to direct the ball into the right side of the net.[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="5935e4f7-4fc5-4819-af32-dedd83dc4ed2" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="32783e2a-512d-4af1-a57c-fa2236fcf087" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]The visitors were struggling to find inspiration in a below-par first half, but against the run of play, they managed to get back on level terms in the final five minutes before the break.[/p][p][b]After sending his right-footed effort from inside the area into the far corner of the net to halve the deficit, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scamacca-gianluca/vDgQxOYl/"]Gianluca Scamacca[/a] made it a quick-fire brace as he turned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scalvini-giorgio/hvC4gron/"]Giorgio Scalvini[/a]’s low cross home from close range, stunning Cagliari and their supporters.[/b][/p][image alt="Mendy scored a quickfire double for Cagliari" id="2a39af64-b5f3-46c1-b04e-7cfe1722dd7b" credit-line="ENRICO LOCCI / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP" guid="8c114e5d-a31d-43a5-bb59-a84c45013e73" original-width="3543" original-height="2362" /][p][b]An injury-stricken Mendy missed out on the opportunity to achieve the rare feat of netting a hat-trick on his debut as he was withdrawn at half-time, but the alteration had no impact on the hosts’ fortunes as less than two minutes after the restart, Mendy’s replacement [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borrelli-gennaro/Kh4HwK0A/"]Gennaro Borrelli[/a] pounced on a loose ball from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/folorunsho-michael/4GK1zMhd/"]Michael Folorunsho[/a]’s blocked effort to restore Cagliari’s lead. [/b][/p][p]The Isolani had won just one of their previous 10 league games (D2, L7), but they were displaying a renewed confidence to thwart any comeback from La Dea, whose only moment of note in a disappointing second half came eight minutes from time when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krstovic-nikola/4CvqRml2/"]Nikola Krstović[/a]’s first-time shot from inside the area was well saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/caprile-elia/rBsmDlYq/"]Elia Caprile[/a].[/p][p]Ultimately, the result sees Cagliari open up a healthy eight-point buffer to the relegation zone with four games remaining, while Atalanta face an uphill task if they are to claim a European place as they remain seventh and seven points adrift of the sixth and final continental spot.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendy-paul/08diwGf5/"]Paul Mendy[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cagliari/SCGVmKHb/"]Cagliari[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atalanta-8C9JjMXu/cagliari-SCGVmKHb/?mid=xIBAKEb4"]Check out the match stats here[/a][/b].[/p]