PLAYER RATINGS | Sassuolo 3-3 Milan | OneFootball

Spoils were shared as Sassuolo ended Milan’s Serie A winning run in a six-goal thriller at the Mapei Stadium.

Milan started the first half brightly. forcing consecutive corners and attacking the Sassuolo defence with vigour. However, the hosts managed to fend off the pressure which they expected before the start of the match.

It took just four minutes for Sassuolo to strike first through Andrea Pinamonti, who received a clever flick from Kristian Thorsvedt before the former Inter striker smashed it home from under 10 yards giving Marco Sportiello no chance to repel.

The Neroverdi doubled their lead six minutes after scoring the initial goal. Milan failed to set up their defence in motion as they crumbled with each Sassuolo counterattack. Marco Sportiello stops Armand Lauriente’s first effort on goal from the left but he bundles it into the path of the Frenchman, who nets it with his second attempt. Samuel Chukwueze thought he equalised the scores in the 17th minute when he headed past Andrea Consigli but VAR ruled it out as offside.

Milan pulled one back in the 20th minute due to the efforts of Rafael Leao. The Portuguese did all the work himself, swerving past two defenders inside the box before slotting the ball home past the goalkeeper.

The Rossoneri aimed to start the second half with renewed energy after they shifted the momentum towards them. However, Sassuolo once again broke the visitors’ defence as they restored their two-goal lead when Armand Lauriente positioned himself inside the box without pressure before he picked up Gregoire Defrel’s pass and slotted the ball past Sportiello. The goalkeeper got a minute touch on it but it deflected into the net.

Stefano Pioli’s side remained calm with their attacks and just six minutes later conceding the third, they reduced the deficit to one goal. Luka Jovic repaid the manager’s faith in him when he netted home Consigli’s rebound after he saved Leao’s effort from the left.

Chukwueze was again left baffled as his second effort ending up inside the net during the match was ruled out for offside. It was a good structured attack from Milan as the Nigerian cut in from the right before slotting the ball past Consigli. However, he was left dismayed due to the VAR’s ruling.

Milan levelled the scores in the 84th minute. Olivier Giroud nodded down an outswinger from the corner before Matteo Gabbia chested the ball down for Noah Okafor, who slammed the ball into the net to equalise.

Player Ratings

Sassuolo (4-2-3-1): Consigli (5); Toljan (5), Erlic (5,5), Ferrari (6), Viti (6); Boloca (5,5), Obiang (6); Volpato (5,5), Thorsvedt (6,5), Lauriente (8,5); Pinamonti (7).

Substitutes: Tressoldi (6,5), Defrel (7), Henrique (6,5), Racic (6), Ceide (5,5).

Milan (4-2-3-1): Sportiello (4); Florenzi, Kjaer (5), Thiaw (6), Hernandez (7); Adli (6), Musah (6); Chukwueze (5,5), Loftus-Cheek (7), Leao (8); Jovic (7,5).

Substitutes: Gabbia (7), Reijnders (6,5), Giroud (5), Pulisic (6), Okafor (7).

Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN