In Serie A Round 12, Fiorentina and Sassuolo struggled to score despite coming close on numerous occasions. After tonight’s 1-1 draw, they continue to be rooted in their respective positions on the Serie A points table, while teams move around them.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men came into the fixture looking for third straight victory against Fiorentina. The Neroverdi had form on their side, as they are unbeaten on the road this season, all three of their losses coming at their home Mapei Stadium.
The win and three points were on Sassuolo’s agenda as a tough round of fixtures awaits them. A result against Fiorentina, which are already low on confidence, would set them up for the coming games. However, the Viola had other plans for them.
While De Zerbi has his sights set for a top-four finish, Cesare Prandelli is looking to negotiate Fiorentina’s path away from a relegation battle. The Viola are 17th in the Serie A points table and winless in their last six domestic outings. They cannot give an inch and stood true to the demand of the occasion.
The first half saw both sides test the respective goalkeeper’s resolve and trouble the scorers. Cristiano Biraghi should have given a bright start to the proceedings, but his effort was off target. The let down would come to haunt them as Hamed Traore gave the visitors an early lead. Bartlomiej Dragowski had no answer for the Ivorian, who was excellently setup by Domenico Berardi.
Sassuolo tried to build their lead but were kept at bay. Berardi himself should have gotten on the scoreboard but was denied by Dragowski. The Fiorentina goalkeeper first made an excellent save from a Rogerio attempt and then was at hand to keep out Berardi’s attempt from the rebound.
The wastefulness allowed the Viola to claw back into the game. The reliable Manuel Locatelli showed signs of fatigue as he brought down Franck Ribery in the box. Dusan Vlahovic stepped up from the spot and made no mistake to bring his side on level footing.
The scoreline read 1-1 as both sides went into the break. Fiorentina had a tough task on their hands to keep Sassuolo at bay. The Neroverdi have scored 16 out of their 22 goals in the second half, with minute 57 and onward being mimicked as Sassuolo Time.
Nothing of that sort came to fruition, not through lack of trying. Lorenzo Venuti, Cristiano Biraghi, Gaetano Castrovilli, and Franck Ribery all tried for the hosts, but their attempts were rebuffed.
For Sassuolo, Pedro Obiang, Domenico Berardi, and Jeremie Boga saw their efforts come undone. They came closest with Francesco Caputo in added time, but Dragowski remained unhinged.
Both Fiorentina and Sassuolo will take the draw and the point against a top-four opponent. However, they will regret the numerous chances missed to trouble the scorers and taking the three points on offer.
Prandelli’s men have a cushion of three points between themselves and the relegation slots. They remain winless under the new manager despite showing improvements going on the offensive. In contrast, Sassuolo continues to occupy the automatic Europa League qualifying slot. They are on equal points with Napoli, who were defeated by Inter in a top-four clash. Juventus are a point ahead with 24.
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