Inter 1-2 Sassuolo – Domenico Berardi thunderbolt stuns leaders as Sassuolo claim another big scalp

Inter Milan’s perfect start to the Serie A campaign came to a crushing end following a 2-1 home defeat to Sassuolo on Wednesday.

Denzel Dumfries put Inter ahead after a dominant first half, but two Sassuolo goals within nine minutes turned the game on its head.

Nedim Bajrami levelled matters after Yann Sommer failed to keep out his mediocre effort before Domenico Berardi produced a stunning strike to put Sassuolo in front.

The result ends Inter’s winning run to the Serie A campaign, where they now sit joint top of the table level on points with rivals AC Milan.

As for Sassuolo, it’s back-to-back giant killings after dismantling Juventus last weekend following a rocky start to the season. The win means they’re now up to eighth in the table.

Inter started the match strongly and had a couple of half chances early on but not enough to trouble the Sassuolo goal.

With just over half an hour played, things started to tick again for Inter who came close when Marcus Thuram headed over from close range and then missed the ball at the end of a well-worked move.

Inter finally took the lead when Dumfries darted into the box, cut inside onto his left foot and angled a delicious effort into the far bottom corner.

But their lead didn’t last long. Bajrami’s effort ten minutes into the second half was too strong for Sommer who couldn’t keep the midfielder’s low strike from trickling over the line.

And then nine minutes later, Berardi – who set up Bajrami for the equaliser – stunned the Meazza with a thunderous strike to put Sassuolo ahead.

As he looked to work his way into the box, he shifted the ball past the jockeying Henrikh Mkhitaryan onto his left foot, and from 25 yards out blasted a strike across goal and into the far bottom corner.

Inter struggled to get back into the game but did have a chance in the dying minutes when Francesco Acerbi’s strong shot was kept out by Andrea Consigli as Sassuolo held on for all three points.

It was a game of two halves in Milan, with Inter dominating the first half and Sassuolo coming out of the break far more organised and composed. But Inter had a bundle of chances in the first half to go two, three or even four goals ahead at the break which they didn’t take.

Mkhitaryan continued to supply the likes of Thuram and Martinez with fantastic deliveries, but Simone Inzaghi’s team were not clinical enough. Dumfries took his goal well, but that was the only moment of real quality the home side showed as they watched their 100% record, and the chance to go three points clear of Milan at the top of the table, slip through their fingers.

The goalscorer was fantastic in the second half and almost single-handedly turned the game around with a goal and an assist. Pinamonti has deservedly stolen the headlines in the last few weeks with four goals in three games, but on Wednesday – especially in the second half – Berardi was the main man.

Not only did he set up Bajrami for the equaliser and score a stunning goal himself, he created the most chances in the match (4) which would have been crazy to think when the players headed in for the break with Inter so dominant.

INTER: Sommer 6, Darmian 6, Acerbi 7, Bastoni 6, Dumfries 8, Barella 6, Calhanoglu 7, Mkhitaryan 6, Dimarco 6, Thuram 7, Martinez 6

Subs: De Vrij 6, Augusto 6, Klaassen N/A, Frattesi 6, Sanchez 6

SASSUOLO: Consigli 7, Toljan 8, Erlic 7, Viti 6, Vina 7, Boloca 7, Henrique 7, Berardi 9, Bajrami 7, Lauriente 7, Pinamonti 7

Subs: Pedersen 6, Ferarri N/A, Tressoldi 7, Castillejo 7, Defrel 6

14’ – THAT’S THE CLOSEST INTER HAVE COME SO FAR! Matteo Darmian plays an outrageously impressive long ball across the pitch to his opposite defender Bastoni, who is high and wide on the left. He delivers an inviting ball for Federico Dimarco who is arriving in the box, but the ball fizzes ahead of him and out of danger.

22’ – RISKY CHALLENGE FROM DARMIAN! The Inter defender chases Pinamonti who looks to break into the box and makes a sliding challenge from behind to dispossess him. But did he get the ball? There’s an ongoing VAR check to see whether he did or not. If he didn’t, it will be a penalty.

33’ – THURAM HEADS OVER FROM CLOSE RANGE! Dumfries delivers a fantastic cross for Thuram in the six-yard box but he sends his header over the bar. That was the best chance of the game!

37’ – IT’S ANOTHER ‘NEARLY’ MOMENT FOR INTER! They’re knocking on the door now, though… Mkhitaryan slips a ball to Dumfries on the left who plays a low cross this time to the feet of Thuram but he misses the ball!

45’+2 – GOAL!! INTER 1-0 SASSUOLO (DUMFRIES) – He darts inside the box and shimmies inside onto his left foot before unleashing an effort into the far bottom corner!

52’ – SASSUOLO HAVE TO SCORE! They should be level! The initial delivery from the corner is cleared but falls to Domenico Berardi on the right who whips in a perfectly weighted cross for Erlic – completely free in the six-yard box – but glances his header wide!

54’ – GOAL!! INTER 1-1 SASSUOLO (BAJRAMI) – Beradi slips a pass to Bajrami inside the box who strikes towards the bottom right corner. Sommer gets there in time but doesn’t get a good grip on the ball which is too strong for him and trickles over the line.

63’ – GOAL!! INTER 1-2 SASSUOLO (BERARDI) – Berardi looks to work his way into the box, shifts the ball past Mkhitaryan on to his left foot from 25 yards out and blasts a shot across goal and into the far bottom corner! What a goal!

90’+2 – CONSIGLI SAVES! He’s had a great second half! The ball falls to Francesco Acerbi in the box, but his fierce shot is saved by the Sassuolo goalkeeper!