Sassuolo-Inter: video highlights and highlights from Saturday evening’s Serie A match on May 4, 2024, with moviola episodes and report cards.
Italian champion Inter arrived at the Mapei Stadium to face a Sassuolo side with the water at its throat and desperate for points to avoid surrendering to relegation. The neroverdi have been the only side to beat the nerazzurri in the league this season; Inzaghi’s team could therefore take the challenge personally and fight with particular flair.
Simone Inzaghi, after also fielding the starting lineup against Torino in the last A game, allows himself some turnover, presenting himself with Audero in goal, Frattesi and Asllani in midfield, Carlos Augusto on the left flank, and Sanchez in attack alongside Lautaro Martinez.
Ballardini surprisingly launches Lipani from the first minute in midfield, with Henrique and Thorstvedt. In attack, as the only forward, is former Nerazzurri Pinamonti. Behind the point acts Lauriente.
Highlights of the challenge
The Nerazzurri kept control in the first 10′, after which the hosts tried to gain meters with a higher pressing and faster actions. In 15′, de Vrij has to intervene to stop a dangerous Thorstvedt lunge, a minute later Lipari’s shot calls Audero for a lengthening save.
At 20′, Doig steals the ball from Dumfries and serves it in the center to Lauriente who only has to push it into the net: it’s 1-0. Asllani seves Dumfries’ own well after 5′, but the Dutchman wastes poorly from one-on-one with Consigli. Two minutes later the Sassuolo goalkeeper stops a fine Sanchez conclusion from outside. Dumfries tries again in the 40′, unsuccessfully. Then at 46′ Lautaro goes in on goal, but VAR cancels for offside. Thus ends the first half.
Very little happens in the second half: Inter maintains control of the game without being able to lunge, Sassuolo lowers the pace and applies reasoned obstructionism. The first real excitement came in the 91st minute with a Cuadrado cross that Arnautovic fired at Consigli.
Table and report cards of Sassuolo-Inter
SASSUOLO (3-5-1-1): Consigli; Erlic, Kumbulla, Ferrari; Toljan (85′, Missori), Lipani (71′, Obiang), Henrique (85′, Racic), Thorstvedt (59′, Boloca), Doig; Lauriente; Pinamonti. All. Ballardini
INTER (3-5-2): Audero; Pavard, de Vrij, Bastoni (68′, Buchanan); Dumfries (59′, Cuadrado), Frattesi (68′, Barella), Asllani (73′, Klaassen), Mkhitaryan (59′, Arnautovic), Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Sanchez. All. Inzaghi
REFEREE: Matteo Marchetti of the Ostia Lido section.
MARKERS: 20′, Lauriente
NOTES: Admonished: 89′, Pavard; 90′, Boloca: Recovered: 5′
Best on the field is Kumbulla: the Italo-Albanian is sure in all closures and authoritative in marking, in 90′ he makes very few mistakes and keeps Lautaro (7) at bay. Laurentie does his duty by sending into the net the only real chance created by Sassuolo (7). Pinamonti (5.5) disappoints again. In Inter everyone plays underwhelmingly. The worst on the field is Dumfries: his is the mistake that leads to the hosts’ goal (4.5). All the attack is bad, but especially Arnautovic (5). Inter’s least negative is Buchanan (6.5). After him, Cuadrado and Asllani (6) are saved.
Moviola and highlights of the match
The referee awards the equalizing goal to Lautaro in the first half recovery: after a long analysis, VAR registers offside and prompts Marchetti to cancel. There is a suspicious arm touch in the area by Thorstvedt: referee and VAR do not intervene. The referee lets it slide a lot, but already in the first half Sassuolo would get two yellows that are not given.
