Inter return to winning ways against Sassuolo

Inter Milan ensured a return to winning ways on Sunday night as they recorded a 2-1 win against visiting Sassuolo in the Italian Serie A.

Nerazurri went into the clash on the back of a 4-3 defeat against Juventus in the Italian derby last week. They had also lost against Udinese before this success.

Inter took the maximum points courtesy of goals from Federico Dimarco and Carlos Augusto. They held on after a late goal from the visitors.

The Nerazzurri needed to turn things around after a midweek 2-0 Champions League victory away to Ajax, and they succeeded in doing this. 

Carlos Augusto, who had an opportunity to be in the starting line-up, took it with both hands and made an immediate impact, dribbling past two at speed before his angled drive was fingertipped wide of the far post.

Armand Laurienté forced a tough save from Josep Martinez at the near post, but was offside.

Inter broke the deadlock through a well-worked team move that started in their own half. Nicolò Barella released a pass to Petar Sucic down the left, and the Croatian laid off smartly with a great no-look pass for Federico Dimarco behind him to sweep in undisturbed from 14 yards.

Sassuolo had a chance on an attack, but  Domenico Berardi flashed his angled drive across the face of the goal while Andrea Pinamonti just failed to get on the end of Laurienté’s cross at the back post.

Marcus Thuram also threatened with an angled drive that skimmed the far stick, and Francesco Pio Esposito was closest but fired over after turning between two defenders with his back to goal.

The visitors went close to an equal as Doig’s rapid sprint down the left and then released a cross to Andrea Pinamonti, whose header brought a big one-handed save out of Martinez.

Arijanet Muric was also called to action, making a remarkable save as Dimarco hooked back a cross at the by-line for the Esposito overhead kick from six yards.

Muric made another big save when he kept out Carlos Augusto on the Lautaro Martinez lay-off, while a Luis Henrique effort was deflected onto the side-netting.

Inter eventually made it two on the resulting corner, as Carlos Augusto’s finish from the edge of the area took a big deflection off Turak Muharemovic’s shinpad to totally wrong-foot Muric.

Sassuolo then halved the deficit moments later, as Walid Cheddira completed a give-and-go with Berardi to beat Martinez one-on-one.

Davide Frattesi thought he had eventually scored his first goal of the season to put the game beyond doubt for Inter on 86 minutes, only for the goal to be chalked off as he was offside on the rebound when Muric had made another important save on Dimarco.

Inter were made to suffer for the points as Berardi tested Martinez from outside the area late in the game, as Inter were made to suffer to the end for this precious result.