DEFEAT TO SASSUOLO
Serie A
A game that the Rossoneri controlled for over an hour ended in bitter defeat. A six-minute Raspadori brace saw Sassuolo take all three points at San Siro. The Rossoneri had taken the lead after half an hour through a Çalhanoğlu wonder goal but created very few chances to double their advantage. The guests, thanks in no small part to the energy of their substitutes, turned it around with a quickfire double from the young striker. It was a rather unexpected result, one which will be seen as a stutter on the road to Champions League football. As unexpected was Sassuolo upping the tempo considerably in the final period of the match as the Neroverdi began to find greater joy on the counter. Until that point, AC Milan had been very alert, maintain high levels of concentration all over the pitch and weathering long periods of possession for the away side. There is, however, no time for the Rossoneri to lick their wounds as they are back in action on Monday; they head to the Olimpico to take on Lazio.
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REPORT
The first 15 minutes of the game were exciting as the football was being played at a breakneck pace, which granted the Rossoneri a couple of chances to shoot. Hakan Çalhanoğlu saw his shot blocked (4') and the Turk then had his effort saved by Consigli (5'). Boga's chance in the 13th minute was the first clear-cut opportunity of the game but Gigio reacted well to palm it away. The 25th minute saw a brilliant Portuguese combination; Dalot found Leão with an excellent pass over the top of the defence but Rafa's effort was blocked behind for a corner. On the half-hour mark, the Rossoneri got their noses in front. Saelemaekers found Çalha on the very edge of the 18-yard box, Hakan bent in into the top corner to make it 1-0. AC Milan were in full control until the 43rd minute when Djuricic fed Berardi for a short-range effort; Dalot made an excellent sliding block to avert the danger.
In the first ten minutes after the break, AC Milan did really well to contain the guests' attempts to break free and also tested Consigli through Saelemaekers' powerful effort. The Rossoneri threatened again in the 61st minute; Dalot fed Hakan, who fired it to the near post but only managed to fed the gloves of Consigli. Sassuolo went close through substitute Traore, who fired wide of Donnarumma's goal (66'). From the ensuing counter, Leão released Saelemaekers but the Belgian couldn't find the space to get a shot away. Sassuolo scored a surprising equaliser in the 76th minute; Toljan's effort was deflected and Raspadori was there to turn it home. Just seven minutes later, Raspadori scored again; he picked up the ball in the box and his effort struck the far post and went in to give the guests their 2-1 lead. As AC Milan pushed for a later equaliser, the Rossoneri won an indirect free-kick in the box, which Krunić fired against the onrushing wall of defenders. That was the final effort.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 1-2 SASSUOLO
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma G.; Calabria (86' Kalulu), Kjær, Tomori, Dalot; Meïte (86' Díaz), Kessie; Saelemaekers (86' Castillejo), Çalhanoğlu (74' Krunić), Rebić (74' Mandžukić); Leão. Subs.: Jungdal, Tătăruşanu; Gabbia, Romagnoli; Hauge, Tonali. Coach: Pioli.
SASSUOLO (4-2-3-1): Consigli; Müldür (63' Toljan), Marlon, Ferrari, Kyriakopoulos; Obiang (72' Lopez), Locatelli; Berardi, Djuricic (63' Traore), Boga (83' Haraslin); Defrel (63' Raspadori). Subs.: Pegolo, Turati; Chiricheș, Peluso, Rogerio; Bourabia, Lopez, Magnanelli; Oddei. Coach: De Zerbi.
Referee: Sacchi from Macerata
Goal: 30' Çalhanoğlu (M), 76' Raspadori (S), 83' Raspadori (S).
Booked: 60' Djuricic (S),
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