Romelu Lukaku bagged a brace and Lautaro Martinez is unplayable as Inter lead 3-1 away to Sassuolo at half-time.
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Antonio Conte had to do without Stefano Sensi, Alexis Sanchez and Danilo D’Ambrosio, while resting Diego Godin, Kwadwo Asamoah and Matias Vecino. Sassuolo missed Rogerio, Medhi Bourabia, Vlad Chiriches, Giangiacomo Ferrari and Luca Mazzitelli, but opted for Italy Under-21 international Alessandro Tripaldelli at left-back.
There were touching scenes before the game, as children from the Sassuolo youth team released green and black balloons into the air in tribute to patron Giorgio Squinzi, who passed away just over two weeks ago. He had taken the club from Serie C all the way to the Europa League.
Inter have really struggled against Sassuolo in recent years, managing only one point from their last five meetings. However, they broke through within 65 seconds, as a corner came to Lautaro Martinez to curl a ferocious right-foot finish into the far top corner from just inside the box.
The Argentina international should’ve made it 2-0 on 12 minutes, but blasted wide from 10 yards after shrugging off Marlon.
Instead, Domenico Berardi drew Sassuolo level, as he burst away from Cristiano Biraghi down the right flank and drilled in off the inside of the far post from the tightest of angles with his weaker right foot. Naturally, the dedication was for Squinzi.
Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the back of the net for a second time on 27 minutes, meeting a cross at the back post, but it was disallowed for Romelu Lukaku’s push to stop a defender intercepting.
Sassuolo also had a goal ruled out, as Francesco Caputo slipped his finish past Samir Handanovic only after he was flagged offside.
Lukaku’s goal did count, as Federico Peluso was weak in his marking, allowing the Belgian to turn and fire in from eight yards to restore Inter’s lead on a Stefan de Vrij through ball.
Marcelo Brozovic blasted a free kick just wide, but Lautaro Martinez was unplayable and brought down by Marlon and Alfred Duncan for a penalty. Lukaku decided to take and sent Andrea Consigli the wrong way to open up a two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time.
Bizarrely, just before the penalty was taken, play was interrupted by a pitch invasion via man with parachute, who was quickly taken away.
Sassuolo 1-3 Inter (Half-Time)
Lautaro Martinez 2 (I), Berardi 16 (S), R Lukaku 38, pen 45 (I)
Sassuolo: Consigli; Muldur, Marlon, Peluso, Tripaldelli; Obiang, Magnanelli, Duncan; Traore; Berardi, Caputo
Inter: Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Candreva, Gagliardini, Brozovic, Barella, Biraghi; Lautaro Martinez, R Lukaku
Ref: Giacomelli
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