A dramatic first half saw Inter Milan condemned to a first league defeat of the Italian season following a shock 4-1 reverse to lowly Cagliari in a Serie A match played at the San Siro on Sunday.

The result is Cagliari’s first win of the season and lifts the club off the foot of the Serie A standings while Inter, with eight points, now lies seven points behind leaders Juventus and second placed AS Roma after five matches.

Cagliari began the match on top and soon edged in front the 10th minute, with Marco Sau meeting a flick-on from Andrea Cossu to fire in a first-time effort past Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

The lead lasted only eight minutes though as on-loan Southampton striker Pablo Osvaldo applied the finish from a quick freekick taken by Rodrigo Palacio to equalise for Inter.

The match went downhill from then on for Inter as Japan international Yuto Nagatomo had a tame effort saved by the Cagliari keeper, before getting sent off after receiving two yellow cards in two minutes before the half-hour mark.

It took two minutes for the man advantage to favour Cagliari as Swedish midfielder Albin Ekdal pounced on a loose ball being shielded by Sau to fire in from close range in the 30th minute.

Ekdal put into an empty goal four minutes later to extend Cagliari’s lead and after Cossu saw a 43rd minute penalty saved by Handanovic, the Swede completed his hattrick and a shock result for Cagliari on the stroke of half-time.

In other Serie A matches played on Sunday, Napoli came away from Sassuolo with a 1-0 win while three matches ended in 1-1 draws, with AC Milan sharing the spoils at Cesena, as did Torino at home to Fiorentina as well as Chievo Verona at home to Empoli.