Goals from Bajrami and Berardi sank the Nerazzurri to their first defeat of the season. The useless goal from Dumfries gave Inter the lead
Inter player Berardi inflicts the first defeat of the season on his favorite team and leads Sassuolo to the feat at San Siro. Four days after Juventus, Dionisi makes another illustrious victim and achieves his third victory in the last four rounds, significantly improving the rankings. Much of the credit goes to the Calabrian number 10, his eighth career goal against the Nerazzurri, who were reached at the top by the AC Milan raider in Cagliari. This time the vice-champions of Europe have exhausted batteries and cloudy ideas, so the Emilians well placed on the pitch highlight this by deservedly winning the three points. No sixth success in a row for Lautaro and his teammates: Conte’s streak (2019-20) and Herrera’s (1966-67) remain unattainable and in view of Saturday evening’s match in Salerno at Pinetina they will have to reflect on the comeback suffered. It had never happened until now: a wake-up call that should not go unnoticed for those aiming for the scudetto and the second star.
DUMFRIES-GOAL
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Inzaghi initially limits the turnover and compared to the victorious eleven in Empoli he changes Dumfries for Pavard and Barella for Frattesi, but also Dionisi, fresh from the 4-2 at the Signora, makes only two rotations: Advice for Cragno between the posts and Viti for Tressoldi in the heart of the defense. Inter started by keeping the ball, looking for the right opening and collecting corners, but the first danger came when Thuram attacked the depth and burned Viti: Lautaro was unable to turn the cross into the net. Sassuolo struggled a bit to get into the game, but then, by increasing the pressure and limiting Calhanoglu’s freedom to set up with Bajrami, they slowed down Inter’s momentum, often forced to set up with Darmian. The match becomes more balanced and, as against Juve, the Emilians accept that their opponents keep the ball. This does not prevent them from reaching the (high) conclusion with Laurienté in the 16th minute and in general from controlling the spaces well. The Nerazzurri lights up especially when Thuram uses dribbling or sets off at speed. It is no coincidence that the two most dangerous opportunities come from the right, from a cross from Dumfries, with the former Mönchengladbach player unable to find a way to score. Sassuolo responds with a backheel from Berardi who frees Toljan’s right-footed shot: Sommer makes a great save which is repeated on Bajrami in the 45th minute. When Di Bello raises the scoreboard to signal injury time (2′), for the first time since the start of the season Inter seems destined to end the first half without any shots on target and instead, with the opposing defense lined up, Dumfries he invents a dribble on Viti (not helped by Viña) and scores the 1-0 with his left foot. Before returning to the locker room, another decisive intervention from Sommer is needed to stop Bajrami following a wrong back pass from Calhanoglu.
SASSUOLO TURNOVER
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The second half begins with Pedersen replacing Viña and with Erlic who heads Berardi’s cut cross to swallow a sensational chance. It’s the prelude to the equalizer that materializes two minutes later: Berardi slots in for Bajrami and the Albanian Sommer hits his post on the right foot. Bad mistake that changes the inertia of the challenge. Inter feel the pinch and, a few moments after Dionisi’s double substitution (Tressoldi for Viti and Castillejo for Bajrami), Berardi invents a goal from him, with a spectacular left-footed shot from outside the area. The Neroverde overtaking was deserved because Inter remained in the locker room. Inzaghi understands this and makes four changes at once: Thuram, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco and Bastoni out, Sanchez, Frattesi, Carlos Augusto and De Vrij in. It’s a… delayed turnover, to try to give fresh forces to the team, but the moves are perplexing. Because the coach from Piacenza, despite the disadvantage, does not switch to 3-4-1-2 and because he has no more strikers left on the bench, with the exception of Primavera Sarr. Advice saves the output result on Frattesi, but it’s only a flash. Sassuolo holds the field well and also fails to score a trio of goals. Inzaghi makes Klaassen debut, placing him behind the strikers Sanchez and Lautaro, to try the final attack, but the choice is late, 5′ from the ninetieth. Sommer saves again from Laurienté, while Inter, despite throwing themselves forward, never come close to making it 2-2 except with a shot from Lautaro, wide. Sassuolo deservedly won, having not won the three points away from home since 12 March (4-3 at the Giallorossi’s Olimpico).
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