Livorno 0-0 Cagliari

Livorno got a point under their belts at the first attempt as they drew with Cagliari on their return to Serie A.

The Leghorn side were rock bottom as they dropped out of the division two years ago, but they matched a Cagliari side still smarting from their early Coppa Italia exit.

Neither team could dominate as both created chances, but a lack of cutting edge meant the sheets remained clean at both ends.

It was the hosts who started the brighter Alessandro Diamanti tried his luck within the first 10 minutes, but he lifted his effort over the bar.

The Sardinians immediately went down the other end and came within a whisker of taking the lead.

Andrea Cossu took Joaquin Larrivey's header and played it back to the Argentinian, who skimmed the post from close range when he could have done better.

They came close again just two minutes later, Alessandro Agostini's cross from the left finding Larrivey, whose header required a diving stop from Amaranto goalkeeper Alfonso De Lucia.

His opposite number, Federico Marchetti, was called into action after 19 minutes but it was a relatively simple save as a shot from Livorno defender Antonio Candreva lacked power.

Livorno were not looking out of their depth, though, and Diamanti's cross found Alessandro Grandoni shortly after, but he wasted the chance of the half, shooting straight at Marchetti who stopped it with his body.

And they could have had a penalty after 36 minutes when Cristiano Lucarelli went down in the area, seemingly after contact with Rossoblu defender Diego Lopez, but the referee gave a free-kick to Cagliari.

Cagliari twice came close in the dying moments of the half, first Cossu volleying impressively to draw a save from De Lucia, then Andrea Lazzari drilling a shot from the left channel which went narrowly wide.

Livorno started the second half as they started the first, Martin Bergvold setting up Lucarelli whose shot from 20 yards went wide of the right post.

At the other end, Daniele Conti's free-kick found an unmarked Lazzari, but he could not keep his header down.

Just past the hour mark, Francesco Tavano collected a good low ball after a great run from Diamanti down the left, but could not get any power behind his shot.

Cagliari launched a swift counterattack after 74 minutes and Agostini should have done better with his final pass, failing to find the unmarked Alessandro Matri.

And Livorno were grateful to De Lucia for keeping them on level terms when he made an astonishing stop from what should have been a tap-in for Matri.

After that a draw seemed inevitable, although there was still time for Nico Pulzetti to come close with a strike from distance.