Atalanta Mæhles off the pace in Sassuolo defeat

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Atalanta Mæhles off the pace in Sassuolo defeat
Atalanta lost points and also two players to red cards
Atalanta lost points and also two players to red cards
AFP
Atalanta’s Joakim Mæhle was shown a contentious red card as Sassuolo capitalised to continue their unlikely Serie A renaissance with a surprise 1-0 win. Armand Laurienté’s winner sealed just a second victory in 19 H2H meetings for the Neroverdi, extending their unbeaten run to three matches and easing the pressure on manager Alessio Dionisi.

Sassuolo produced one of the season’s shock results with a five-goal showing against AC Milan last time out, and that confidence was visibly still coursing through their veins as early pressure landed Grégoire Defrel with the best chance of the first half, finding a yard of space in the box to force a smart save from Juan Musso. The off-colour visitors - normally so potent in attack - failed to muster anything clear-cut before the interval, and their frustration only grew when Mæhle’s studs-up follow-through on Domenico Berardi reduced them to 10 men with two-thirds of the clash remaining.

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini took drastic action at the break by hauling off top-scorer Ademola Lookman, but Sassuolo responded by drawing first blood through Laurienté, who cut in from the right flank and whipped a measured effort into the far corner for his fourth league goal of the season. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors turned the screw as the final whistle approached, firstly stinging the hands of Andrea Consigli via Teun Koopmeiners’ free-kick before substitute Duván Zapata rose highest in the box to head agonisingly over the crossbar.

Having scored 18 goals in six games prior to kick-off, and winning 10 of their previous 12 meetings with Sassuolo, Atalanta drawing a blank and coming away from Mapei Stadium empty-handed certainly wasn’t in the script. A precious victory propels the hosts 10 points clear of the Serie A relegation zone, while the Nerazurri spurned their golden opportunity to provisionally clinch second spot in the table, while also losing forward Luis Muriel to a second red card deep into stoppage time after a verbal exchange with the referee.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Armand Laurienté (Sassuolo)

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