Sassuolo Overcome Verona in Five-Goal Thriller at Mapei Stadium

A vibrant match at the Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore  ended with Sassuolo overcoming Verona 3-2 to leapfrog them in the Serie A table. Roberto De Zerbi’s Neroverdi are now 9th in the table with 39 points, one more than Ivan Juric’s Scaligeri.

Ze Zerbi inserted Gregoire Defrel in his starting lineup and placed him next to striker Francesco Caputo, with Filip Djuricic and Domenico Berardi to support the pair from the flanks. No surprises from Juric, who deployed his usual 3-4-2-1 lineup with Antonin Barak and Mattia Zaccagni behind lone striker Kevin Lasagna.

Verona’s approach was the most aggressive, with the Gialloblu trying to peg Sassuolo back into their own half, but De Zerbi’s side meant business and put themselves ahead after just four minutes. It all started from the left-hand offensive side, with Berardi serving Defrel in the box and the Frenchman picking up Manuel Locatelli, whose sharp right-foot shot ended in the top bottom corner of the goal to set the Emilians off to a good start.

#SassuoloVerona: neroverdi in campo così ⤵️

(4-2-3-1) Consigli; Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari, Kyriakopoulos; Obiang, Locatelli; Berardi, Defrel, Djuricic; Caputo#ForzaSasol ??? pic.twitter.com/GeLi0aUkKI

— U.S. Sassuolo (@SassuoloUS) March 13, 2021

Verona’s approach didn’t change despite the early deficit. On 12 minutes, their pressure produced a Barak header attempt from a Darko Lazovic cross on that called Andrea Consigli to action and found him equal to the task.

Adrien Tameze and Davide Faraoni had two more chances for Verona, then it was Sassuolo’s time to make themselves dangerous with a Gian Marco Ferrari header parried back by Gialloblu goalkeeper Marco Silvestri.

The Neroverdi seemed to able to control Verona’s offense but eventually conceded an equalizer on 43 minutes. Both Ferrari and Giorgios Kyriakopoulos failed to intercept a Barak pass for Faraoni. The Italian’s cross in the box was missed by Lasagna, but Darko Lazovic was ready on the far post to tap the ball in and draw level for the visitors just before half time.

NOI IN CAMPO COSÌ ?
FORZA VERONA ??#DaiVerona #SerieATIM #SassuoloVerona #lastoriAcontinuA pic.twitter.com/IB5PwjQSmd

— Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) March 13, 2021

Davide Faraoni could not build on his effort as coach Juric replaced him with Federico Dimarco after the break.

Sassuolo were quick to take the lead again as, six minutes into the second period, Kyriakopoulos sent the ball in from the left and Filip Djuricic pounced on Koray Gunter’s ineffective clearance to pierce Marco Silvestri with a fine conversion that caught Verona’s keeper unprepared.

Verona struggled to react this time and De Zerbi thought to cover himself up with Marlon and Hamed Junior Traorè for Djuricic and Defrel, switching from a 4-2-3-1 to a 5-3-2 setup. Ivan Juric’s answer was replacing a defender (Giangiacomo Magnani) with a midfielder (Daniel Bessa) as he looked for a new equalizer.

He would succeed on 80 minutes. After Ferrari saved right on the goal line a Barak attempt with an acrobatic clearance, substitute Dimarco scored the second for Verona with a brilliant volley from a Lazovic cross.

Verona’s joy would last only one minute however, as the Gialloblu carelessly conceded a corner kick that would prove fatal to them. In the subsequent action, Traoré found the ball on his feet and made it pass through a forest of legs to beat Silvestri again and set the score at 3-2 for Sassuolo.

After going three games winless, the Neroverdi grabbed all the three points on offer while Verona had to suffer their second defeat in a row.

 

MATCH REPORT

March 13, 2021 – Serie A 2020-2021 Round 27
SASSUOLO-VERONA 3-2

SCORERS: 3′ Locatelli (S), 43′ Lazovic (V), 51′ Djuricic (S), 80′ Dimarco (V), 81′ Traorè (S)

REFEREE: Mr. Prontera from Bologna
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Magnani, Locatelli, Traorè (S), Faraoni (V)