Calhanoglu goal gives Inter narrow win over Cagliari in Serie A

Hakan Calhanoglu’s second goal in as many games proved enough for Inter to take the points from Cagliari, but were almost made to pay for wasteful finishing.

The Nerazzurri had opened the season with a 4-1 victory over Monza, but brought in Benjamin Pavard, Petar Sucic and Luis Henrique, with Curtis Jones on the bench for the first time , and Djed Spence still working on his fitness. The Sardinians started with a surprise 1-0 victory away to Parma, but were without Yerry Mina and Riyad Idrissi. Yael Trepy was released from hospital this week , 10 days after nearly drowning in a swimming pool.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Internazionale reacts during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) It took just nine minutes to break the deadlock, as native son of Cagliari Nicolò Barella cut inside from the right and rolled across for Hakan Calhanoglu to swing the right-boot first time from outside the area to drill with precision into the bottom corner.

Lautaro Martinez flashed a finish wide on the turn, while Manuel Akanji nodded a Federico Dimarco free kick past the far post. Elia Caprile kept the scoreline down, as his gloves were stung by Barella’s scorcher, then he was alert for a desperate save to push the powerful Dimarco volley over the bar.

Caprile rushed off his line too late to intercept the Barella volley, but was rescued by Juan Rodriguez clearing practically off the line.

The Inter starting XI for their Serie A Week 2 visit to Cagliari (@inter) Alessandro Deiola threw himself in the way of a Lautaro Martinez finish after Petar Sucic rolled across, while Luis Henrique fired just over from a smart Lautaro Martinez through ball.

Dimarco couldn’t keep his first-time finish on target from the Esposito back-heel flick, then Esposito stung Caprile’s gloves while slipping over from the edge of the area.

After the restart, Caprile had to get down quickly to palm the Esposito effort off the line from another Barella assist, but Cagliari did fight back on the hour mark.

Rodriguez tackled Esposito for Alieu Fadera’s cross to the back post, where Josep Martinez had to fingertip the ball away from Kevin Carlos sliding in.

Lautaro Martinez during Inter’s 1-0 Serie A victory away to Cagliari (@inter) Moments later, the Inter goalkeeper had to sprint outside his penalty area to clear from Kevin Carlos after the offside trap failed on a Michel Adopo pass.

Curtis Jones made his debut with John Stones also off the bench, and Alessandro Bastoni failed to keep the finish on target from a Dimarco pull-back.

Marcus Thuram couldn’t steer his header into the empty net as Caprile came flying out, then turned wide on another Dimarco roll across from the left.

Adam Obert blasted just over from a very difficult angle, but Adopo thought he had equalised with a ferocious hit on the loose ball from 10 yards, denied by the most desperate Yann Bisseck block. On the resulting corner, Gennaro Borrelli steered a header wide.

Lautaro Martinez sprung the offside trap to sting Caprile’s gloves at the near stick, but Cagliari pushed to the very end.

Cagliari 0-1 Inter Calhanoglu 9 (I)

30-08-2026 19:45

MatchDay 2

Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Inter

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

9'

Hakan Calhanoglu (Assist: Nicolò Barella)

14'

Manuel Akanji

2nd half

Alessandro Deiola

56'

Kevin Carlos

88'

Match statistic

35

Possession %

65

10

Total shots

31

Shots on target

7

8

Shots off target

17

2

Blocked shots

7

8

Corners

6

4

Offsides

1

6

Fouls

5

Cagliari

Inter

Starting lineups

1

Elia Caprile Goalkeeper

33

Adam Obert Defender

15

Juan Rodríguez Defender

2

Zé Pedro Defender

14

Alessandro Deiola Midfielder

83'

4

Alessandro Romano Midfielder

70

Daniel Maldini Midfielder

78'

6

Harry Winks Midfielder

57'

10

Jacopo Fazzini Midfielder

57'

8

Michel Adopo Midfielder

31

Paul Mendy Attacker

57'

1

Josep Martínez Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni Defender

28

Benjamin Pavard Defender

32

Federico Dimarco Defender

25

Manuel Akanji Defender

68'

8

Petar Sucic Defender

65'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu Midfielder

65'

23

Nicolò Barella Midfielder

94

Pio Esposito Attacker

65'

10

Lautaro Martínez Attacker

11

Luis Henrique Attacker

81'

Substitutes

23

Boris Radunović Goalkeeper

21

Nicolò Cavuoti Midfielder

17

Mattia Felici Attacker

24

Giuseppe Aurelio Midfielder

12

Alen Sherri Goalkeeper

27

Joseph Liteta Midfielder

32

Ivan Sulev Midfielder

Demi Akarakiri Midfielder

22

Raphael Kofler Midfielder

57'

Alieu Fadera Midfielder

57'

9

Kevin Carlos Attacker

57'

29

Gennaro Borrelli Attacker

78'

Riccardo Ciervo Attacker

83'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan Midfielder

49

Ivan Provedel Goalkeeper

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny Defender

30

Carlos Augusto Midfielder

5

Aleksandar Stankovic Midfielder

17

Andy Diouf Attacker

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro Goalkeeper

7

Piotr Zielinski Midfielder

65'

Curtis Jones Midfielder

65'

9

Marcus Thuram Attacker

65'

6

John Stones Defender

68'

31

Yann Bisseck Defender

81'