Five Goals in Final 20 Minutes as Sassuolo and Torino Share Spoils

Italian Football, Sassuolo, Serie A, Serie A 2020-2021, Torino

Third-placed Sassuolo welcomed struggling Torino to the Stadio Mapei – Città del Tricolore for the first fixture of Serie A match-day five.

The Bulls have been woeful in Italian top-flight football,  struggling to make an impact with their performances on the pitch. While their rivals, Sassuolo have impressed in the competition with three wins and a draw.

Despite their respective reputations, the gulf between both sides could not be greater. The Neroverdi have excited calcio fans this season, claiming four points from losing positions. Meanwhile, Torino had lost six points from winning positions.

More of the above was on display. Torino had the upper hand going into the final 10 minutes of the game but let it slip. The efforts of Karol Linetty, Andrea Belotti, and Sasa Lukic all came to nothing as a late blitz from the hosts ended the game all square.

The opening exchanges went as expected. Roberto De Zerbi’ men dominated the proceedings and pegged the visitors in their own half. However, it was Torino who created the first meaningful chance against the run of play.

Simone Verdi was one on one with Andrea Consigli and tried to lob the keeper after he had committed. The Sassuolo shot-stopper managed an amazing save with his right leg that denied the Torino forward. The custodian would be called into action again, this time by Soualiho Meite. The 26-year-old Parisian was in the six-yard box, but his shot could not get past the Sassuolo man.

As the game progressed, the visitors from Turin grew into the fixture while Sassuolo were pegged back in defensive duties. When the Granata carved their third meaningful opportunity, Consigli could not stave them off. Mergim Vojvoda sent an inch-perfect cross into the penalty box, which was met by Karol Linetty. The resulting low shot went into the net to make it 0-1 for Torino.

The hosts tried to get back into the game before half-time, but their fortunes in the final third did not change. Torino deserved their lead while Roberto De Zerbi went into the break with plenty to ponder for his charges.

Sassuolo started brilliantly, but a replay of first-half’s events were on display. The two best chances before the goal galore came for the Bulls. Belotti and Verdi both came close, but Consigli was alert to deny them.

With twenty minutes remaining, the hosts finally began to test Salvatore Sirigu. Filip Djuricic put in a cross but Jeremie Boga’s thunderous header was off target. Djuricic would be on the receiving end of Mert Muldur squared ball, and his back-heeled effort left Sirigu with no chance to stop.

The goal gave the Neroverdi hope, but it was all sucked out of them as they were hit on the break. Belotti wrestled off Chiriches in the box before twisting and turning on the ball. His resulting shot went into the back of the net to return Torino’s lead.

The Italy international was back at it again two minutes later. He received the ball from Sasa Lukic and ran at the defense before returning possession to the Serbian, who unleashed a thunderous drive from the edge of the box to make it 1-3.

Eleven minutes of regulation time remained, and Granata seemed to be on their way to their first win of the 2020-21 Serie A campaign. Marco Giampaolo’s best-laid plans would not come to fruition as Sassuolo changed the passage of play.

Five minutes after Lukic’s strike, Sassuolo would come up with one of their own to match it. Pitched outside the Torino goal, Sassuolo defender Vlad Chiriches received the ball 30-yards out. With no viable options in his purview, the defender sent a strong shot that sailed into the net. The scoreboard read 2-3, and the Romanian had made up for his earlier error.

The Emilian outfit conjured magic against Bologna and were on-course to repeat it again. After the restart, they did not allow the Bulls possession and returned to hound them. Domenico Berardi was hugging the right-wing when he crossed the ball into the box. The cross was met by Francesco Caputo, who headed into the right side to equalize.

Sassuolo had scored four in their last three games and had come from 1-3 down to win against Bologna. They were on course to make it four, but lady luck did not smile on the Neroverdi. With seven minutes of added time, the hosts tried to enforce the issue, but it came to nothing.

The match ended 3-3, with both sides deserving applause for the show they put up. Roberto De Zerbi will be the happier of the two managers as his side managed to keep their place in the top-four. In contrast, Marco Giampaolo will question why his team keeps on giving their rivals’ chances back into the game.

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