Serie A: Inter upset by Sassuolo, wastes chance to go top

Inter Milan was upset 2-0 at home by mid table Sassuolo on Sunday, wasting a chance to leapfrog city rival Milan and go top of the Italian league.

Sassuolo's Vlad Chiriches in action with Inter Milan's Hakan Calhanoglu.

Inter Milan was upset 2-0 at home by mid table Sassuolo on Sunday, wasting a chance to leapfrog city rival Milan and go top of the Italian league.

Leader Milan stumbled Saturday with a 2-2 draw at last-place Salernitana. Inter remains two points behind in second but with a game in hand.

Sassuolo translated its strong start into a goal in the eighth minute.

Hakan Calhanoglu helped the visitors, losing the ball in the midfield with Domenico Berardi sending it through for Giacomo Raspadori to net the opener with a low shot.

Gianluca Scamacca doubled the advantage in the 26th with a header for his 10th league goal this season. It could have been 3-0 late in the first half with Berardi hitting the crossbar of Samir Handanovic’s goal.

Substitute Edin Dzeko, Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez were among those who failed to convert scoring chances as Inter mounted pressure in the second half.

 

Stefan De Vrij finally appeared to pull at least one back for Inter in second-half stoppage time but the goal was disallowed by VAR for a handball.

Milan was without suspended playmaker Marcelo Brozovic.

Sassuolo moved up to 11th.

Lazio salvaged a 1-1 draw at Udinese to remain sixth.

Unmarked Felipe Anderson headed in an equalizer in the final minute of the first half after he was left unmarked at the far post.

Gerard Deulofeu scored from inside the area to put Udinese ahead in the fifth minute after Lazio failed to clear a corner.

Udinese’s Nahuel Molina hit the crossbar in second-half stoppage time.

Udinese stays 16th.

 

Earlier, Fiorentina beat Atalanta 1-0 to stay in the race for a place in European competitions.

Krzysztof Piatek collected a cross from Nico Gonzales to score the winner from close range in the 56th minute. It was the fifth goal for the Poland international in his six games for Fiorentina. The forward joined the Italian club on loan from Hertha Berlin last month.

It was the third victory for Fiorentina over Atalanta in all competitions this season.

Atalanta had an equalizer by Ruslan Malinovskyi disallowed for offside five minutes later after a video review. Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was sent off for dissent following that decision.

His team has been hit badly by injuries, with Jeremie Boga the only striker available.

Fiorentina climbed to seventh, two points behind Atalanta in fifth.

In a match between two teams threatened by relegation, Venezia and Genoa played to a 1-1 draw to remain 17th and 19th, respectively.