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·29. August 2025

Serie A | Cremonese 3-2 Sassuolo: De Luca snatches thrilling victory

Cremonese maintained their 100 per cent record, as after fumbling a 2-0 lead to Nemanja Matic’s Sassuolo, they snatched a 93rd-minute winner.

The Seahorses had the perfect start to the season, beating Milan 2-1 at San Siro, but missed goal-scorer Federico Bonazzoli, Tommaso Barbieri, Dennis Johnsen and Gianluca Saro. The Neroverdi had Ismael Koné suspended after his red card in defeat to Napoli, with Kristian Thorstvedt and Laurs Skjellerup out of action, but Nemanja Matic and Aster Vranckx made their debuts.

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See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Both these teams were promoted from Serie B over the summer, although Cremonese had to go through the play-offs.

Alessio Zerbin had two shots in a row charged down, then Andrea Pinamonti’s turn and strike was straight at Emil Audero.

Cremonese opened the scoring with the first ever Serie A goal for former Milan full-back Filippo Terracciano, who was allowed a free header by Matic on the Jari Vandeputte corner kick.

CREMONA, ITALY – AUGUST 29: Filippo Terracciano of US Cremonese celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Giovanni Zini on August 29, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

Barely 120 seconds later, it was 2-0 for the hosts. Zerbin robbed Josh Doig to spark the counter, rolled across with a Franco Vazquez dummy for Antonio Sanabria, who dribbled past two for the angled drive that Vazquez prodded over the line with his knee from point-blank range.

Audero flew to fingertip a Berardi free kick out of the top corner and on the resulting set play, Pinamonti was unlucky to see his curler from a tricky angle cannon off both the underside of the crossbar, and the inside of the far post.

Sanabria could’ve made it 3-0 after the restart, his diving header from five yards straight at the Sassuolo goalkeeper.

CREMONA, ITALY – AUGUST 29: Andrea Pinamonti of US Sassuolo celebrates after scoring the 21- goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Giovanni Zini on August 29, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

Instead, the visitors got back into the game when substitute Cristian Volpato’s through ball was not cut out by Federico Baschirotto, allowing Pinamonti to control with his back to goal, turn and score low into the near bottom corner from 12 yards.

It was like a different match, as another substitute made a big different, Alieu Fadera running down the left with a step-over and clattered by Alberto Grassi. Domenico Berardi drilled into the near bottom corner to convert the penalty and draw Sassuolo level.

Berardi went on a dangerous counter and could’ve gone for goal, but instead tried to roll across for Volpato and it was intercepted.

CREMONA, ITALY – AUGUST 29: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo scores the 2-2 penalty during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Giovanni Zini on August 29, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

Cremonese had the ball in the net on 84 minutes when Romano Floriani Mussolini bundled into the back of Fali Cande and pulled back for the David Okereke pull-back, but the referee disallowed it for a push.

Edoardo Iannoni’s angled drive also flashed just wide for Sassuolo in a chaotic finale, then Floriani Mussolini broke from a Neroverdi corner and sent Manuel De Luca clear on goal, forcing Arijanet Muric into a desperate save with his legs one-on-one.

The drama wasn’t over, as in stoppages the bright Floriani Mussolini surprised Fadera and was tripped for another penalty, converted by Manuel De Luca for his first ever Serie A goal.