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Serie A | Cremonese 3-0 Pisa: Vardy keeps safety hope alive
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- Serie A | Cremonese 3-0 Pisa: Vardy keeps safety hope alive
Serie A | Cremonese 3-0 Pisa: Vardy keeps safety hope alive
Jamie Vardy 's first goal since January paved the way for a potentially crucial Cremonese victory that keeps safety hopes alive, but Pisa went down to nine men.
The hosts were given a lifeline with Lecce 's defeat to Juventus last night, so a victory here would put them within a point of their major rivals for safety . The season was over for Federico Baschirotto with a thigh strain in the heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Lazio , joining Faris Moumbagna on the treatment table, but Jamie Vardy was back in the starting XI for the first time since March 8. Already-relegated Pisa missed Matteo Tramoni , Marius Marin and Daniel Denoon.
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See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
Rosen Bozhinov had a nightmare start to the match, because he received two yellow cards in the opening 24 minutes, leaving Pisa down to 10 men for over an hour.
CREMONA, ITALY – MAY 10: Referee Giovanni Ayroldi shows a red card to Rosen Bozhinov of Pisa SC during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Pisa SC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on May 10, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
Cremonese could not waste this gift, so began to pour forward, Alberto Grassi 's scorcher parried by Adrian Semper with difficulty.
They broke through when Giuseppe Pezzella controlled a long ball and laid it off to the edge of the area, where Vardy was ready to sweep into the far bottom corner first-time with his weaker left foot. It was his first goal since early January.
Cremonese urged to ‘hang on to Vardy, the man of impossible feats’
CREMONA, ITALY – MAY 10: Jamie Vardy of US Cremonese celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Pisa SC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on May 10, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
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There should've been another on the counter, but Federico Bonazzoli over-hit the pass for Jari Vandeputte , so Arturo Calabresi was introduced to shore up Pisa's defence.
Youssef Maleh drilled across the face of goal, while Alberto Grassi's volley from a corner bounced to flash inches wide from the edge of the box.
Cremonese had two more huge opportunities on the stroke of half-time, as Semper got away with a couple of howlers. He slipped during a clearance, so Simone Canestrelli made a goal-line clearance on Bonazzoli's lob, then flapped hopelessly at the following corner, only for Matteo Bianchetti to nod over.
They did make a counter-attack stick after the restart, as Vardy sent Vandeputte running, he rolled across for Bonazzoli to take a touch and sweep in from 10 yards.
CREMONA, ITALY – MAY 10: Federico Bonazzoli of US Cremonese scores the 2-0 goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Pisa SC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on May 10, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
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Pisa were reduced to nine men as Loyola lunged two-footed into a clumsy tackle on Pezzella, prompting a straight red card.
Alessio Zerbin 's cross-shot tested Semper and Vardy was given a standing ovation from the home fans, while Federico Barbieri forced a save with his long-range strike.
David Okereke added a third late on when he dribbled past the weak Hojholt and surprised Semper from the tightest of angles with the inside of the right boot.
Cremonese 3-0 Pisa
Vardy 31 (C), Bonazzoli 51 (C), Okereke 87 (C)
Sent off:Bozhinov 24 (P), Loyola 57 (P)
