Maldini's 29th-minute header, converting a Fazzini corner, proved enough to give Cagliari a 1-0 win over Lecce at the Unipol Domus, lifting Fabio Pisacane's side back to winning ways after back-to-back defeats to Inter and Hellas Verona. The only sour note came late on, when substitute Mattia Felici was forced off with an injury that immediately raised concern given his history of knee problems.
"Felici going off is definitely the disappointing note of the night. We hope it's nothing serious — for today I just want to focus on the three points," Pisacane said.
"Maldini was a bit tired, so I opted for the change. We needed this win, especially after the Coppa defeat, and the crowd's support helped us a great deal."
Asked whether he expected such a strong display from Maldini and Fazzini through the middle, Pisacane pointed to the collective rather than individuals.
"I like to emphasise balance. I believe strongly in everything I do. They're two important lads, but the history of this club demands a certain attitude from all of us," he said.
He also praised debutant Sugamele, brought off the bench late on, and highlighted the impact of loan signing Yukinari Sugawara.
"He brings us specific qualities we didn't have in the squad. I think he can play as a deep-lying playmaker too, not just as a full-back. Since he arrived, Cagliari has started speaking a bit of Japanese as well."
For Lecce, head coach Eusebio Di Francesco struck a resigned tone after a fourth game without a win.
"We had our early chances, but Cagliari had a ferocity that overwhelmed us. Regardless of the penalty not given at the end, Cagliari deserved to win. We're licking our wounds — we conceded too much and made too many mistakes," he said. "Without the right attitude, this league becomes difficult, even for survival. We need to train better."
Di Francesco admitted his side's sluggish start had become a recurring problem.
"Yes, absolutely. We started poorly in previous matches too, and we fell back into the same trap today. We approached the game a little lazily — that isn't usually a trait of ours," he said. "We've changed a lot and we're still searching for the right balance. What was missing today was raising our technical level. I'm very sorry about that — we need to work on it. Football today demands more competitiveness and bite, and I don't think my players have fully grasped that yet."
The result moves Cagliari into the top half of the table, while Lecce remain in the bottom reaches after three rounds.