Milan, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 5th May, 2024) Sassuolo stunned newly crowned Italian champions Inter Milan for the second time this season on Saturday with a 1-0 win that kept their hopes of staying in Serie A alive.
Armand Lauriente’s first-time strike in the 20th minute gave his side a first win in seven games and inflicted Inter’s first league defeat since Sassuolo won at the San Siro at the end of September.
“We didn’t approach the game well, but after their goal we improved. We probably deserved to be equal at half-time,” said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi to Sky Sport.
“But even though we tried to change things we created very little in the second half. We should have done more.”
Davide Ballardini’s side are still second from bottom, three points from safety, and have a big task on their hands if they are to stay in Serie A with three games remaining in their campaign.
Udinese are level on 29 points with Sassuolo and sit just inside the drop zone ahead of their home game with Napoli on Monday night.
Two points above that pair are Empoli and Frosinone, who face each other on Sunday afternoon, as well as Verona who host Fiorentina.
Saturday’s win was Sassuolo’s 10th over Inter since being promoted to Serie A for the first time in 2013, more than the traditional small club have against any other team in the top division.
They largely beat second-string Inter who won their 20th league title last month and are in cruise control until the end of a triumphant campaign.
Inter were denied an equalizer on the stroke of half-time when Lautaro Martinez’s close-range finish was ruled out for offside but otherwise little was offered.
Martinez is Serie A’s top scorer but has been stuck on 23 league goals since the end of February, while Inter failed to score in a league game for the first time this season.
Earlier Lazio’s bid to reach the Champions League was damaged by Milan Djuric’s stoppage time leveler in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Monza.
Djuric hit the second of two superb headers at home in the 92nd minute, his eighth league goal of the season for mid-table Monza who left Lazio in seventh place.
A win would have pushed Lazio one point behind their local rivals, Roma, who are in fifth place in the Champions League, which is the final round and host Juventus on Sunday night.
Instead fans were frustrated with their side being pegged back twice after taking the lead in each half through Ciro Immobile and Matias Vecino.
Away fans got into a heated exchange with Lazio players after the match as a post-match lecture by visiting ultras led to defender Adam Marusic losing his temper with one supporter and having to be calmed down by captain Immobile.
Lazio have had a turbulent season with previous coach Maurizio Sarri resigning in March and star midfielder Luis Alberto wanting to leave despite signing a contract extension until 2027 in October.
