Three goals in the space of 15 first-half minutes set Cagliari on course for their second home win of the season.

Nene grabbed two in the space of five minutes after the half-hour mark, and Alessandro Matri fired in a penalty on the stroke of half-time to put the hosts firmly in control.

Having lost three of their first four games at home this season, it was a win Cagliari badly needed to keep alive their push to finish in the European places.

Atalanta had begun brightly, with Valdes testing Federico Marchetti early on, but the team struggling at the wrong end of the table were soon shooting themselves in the foot.

They surrendered possession all too easily in midfield, allowing Andrea Cossu to break and cross for Matri, but Gianpaolo Bellini made a crucial intervention to prevent the shot.

Cagliari got the breakthrough in the 33rd minute as Andrea Consigli missed his clearance from a corner and Nene was left to head into an empty net.

Four minutes later he had his and Cagliari's second as Cossu intercepted a sloppy pass and crossed for the Brazilian to finish.

Two minutes before the break, Atalanta went close as Cristiano Doni was unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the area come back off the post.

But instead it was Cagliari who scored again before the break. Federico Peluso hauled down Andrea Lazzari, and Matri made no mistake with the spot-kick.

Nene was looking for his hat-trick after the break. Lazzari played a great through ball for the striker and he hit a fine shot on the turn but with only Consigli to beat he sent the chance over the crossbar.

The hosts were dominating the game and threatening to score several more goals.

Davide Biondini should have got their fourth in the 57th minute as they had Atalanta outnumbered on the counter-attack, but he went for a pass when the shot would have been a better option.

It was clear midway through the second half that all belief was gone from the visitors, allowing Cagliari to attack at will.

Consigli did well to keep out Coni's free-kick in the 74th minute as the goalkeeper did his best to keep his team in it.

Atalanta finally came to life as the game moved into the final 15 minutes.

Tiberio Guarente brought a decent save out of Marchetti with a long-range effort, before substitute Fabio Caserta sent a shot over the crossbar from just outside the area.

But Cagliari were still comfortable with their three-goal advantage, and played out the game to make it three wins out of three.