Fiorentina 1-3 Sassuolo: Highlights

Pre-match

Fiorentina manager Giuseppe Iachini went for his hybrid 3-5-2/3-4-3 shape again with Rachid Ghezzal playing halfway between a mezzala and a winger. Sassuolo boss Roberto de Zerbi picked Grégoire Defrel and Hamed Junior Traoré in the attack.

First half

Federico Chiesa had a golden chance to put the Viola ahead in the third minute but couldn’t find the finish after some top work from Pol Lirolal.

Following what sure looked like a foul in the Sassuolo box on a corner, the Neroverdi broke the other direction and won a penalty when Gaetano Castrovilli hacked down Filip Đuričić. Grégoire Defrel put it away to hand the visitors an early lead.

The Viola had another corner that Sassuolo countered from 10 minutes later. This time, Jeremie Boga galloped half the pitch before sliding in Defrel, who’d found a massive gap in the defense; the Frenchman finished from point blank range.

Second half

Gaetano Castrovilli, feeling generous, sat down on the pitch to giftwrap a close-range chance for fullback Mert Müldür, who graciously accepted Tanino’s offering and slotted home for his first goal in Serie A.

Alfred Duncan played in an inch-perfect cross late on for Patrick Cutrone to head home his first league goal for the hosts, but it was merely lipstick on a pig.

(Yes, I’ll add the actual clips when they’re available. This is truthier, though.)

Full time

Goals: Cutrone 90’ (ass. Duncan); Defrel 24’ pk, 35’ (ass. Boga), Müldür 61’

Cards: Pulgar 44’, Ceccherini 50’, Castrovilli 63’, Ghezzal 73’; Rogério 3’, Traoré 43’