Inter Milan were looking to maintain their unbeaten start to Serie A with a victory over newly-promoted Sassuolo away from home.
Heading into the Week 4 fixture, Walter Mazzarri's side found themselves third in the league table with seven points from three matches, just two points off the pace.
On the other hand, Sassuolo were at the foot of the table, having lost all of their three league fixtures.
The Nerazzurri were the favourites to pick up maximum points at the Stadio Alberto Braglia and they did so in style, carving out a 7-0 win with Diego Milito scoring twice on his return to action after eight months out.
Read how the match unfolded with Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live coverage of the Serie A clash between Sassuolo and Inter Milan. This is a Week 4 encounter and you can catch all the action live as it happens at the Stadio Alberto Braglia here on this page.
Heading into today’s match, Inter find themselves third in the league table with seven points from three matches. Walter Mazzarri’s side are just two points off the pace and will be favourites to win the match tonight.
On the other hand, newly-promoted Sassuolo have made a terrible start to the Serie A campaign. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side have lost all of their three matches and are stranded at the foot of the standings.
Okay, teamsheet is already out and I will type the lineups momentarily...
SASSUOLO XI: Pomini; Gazzola, Rossini, Acerbi, Ziegler; Kurtic, Magnanelli, Chibsah; Schelotto, Floro Flores, Missiroli
INTER MILAN XI: Handanovic; Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus; Jonathan, Guarin, Cambiasso, Taider, Nagatomo; Alvarez; Palacio
Inter lineup in a familiar formation with Rodrigo Palacio being supported by Ricky Alvarez from the midfielder. However, Mateo Kovacic is not in the first XI; Saphir Taider comes in his place in midfield. Veteran Diego Milito is on the bench for the Nerazzurri.
Meanwhile, for Sassuolo, there is a place on the starting lineup for Ezequiel Schelotto, who is eligible to face his parent club Inter. Antonio Floro Flores will lead the attack for the hosts, but Gianluca Pegolo is fit only for the bench.
Just under 15 minutes left for the match to kick off. Inter will be the favourites to win today, while Sassuolo will be happy with just a point – which would be their first ever in Serie A. However, the Nerazzurri have not exactly played brilliant football and Mazzarri’s side is still a team under construction.
However, Sassuolo defender Reto Ziegler is confident that his side can create an upset against Inter and told reporters: “Despite our poor start to the season, I believe we can beat Inter. We need to hurt our rivals and the way to do that is by scoring goals and giving everything we have on the pitch. It's going to be difficult to play against Inter but we are playing at home and we have so much hunger to win. While Inter's aim might be the Scudetto, our aim is to avoid the drop and I can tell you that Inter will suffer on Sunday.''
Interestingly, Sassuolo have scored just one goal in Serie A so far this season – it came in a 4-1 home loss to Livorno in Week 2. That result was sandwiched between a 2-0 away defeat to Torino and a 2-0 away loss to Verona.
On the other hand, Inter have conceded just once in three Serie A fixtures this campaign – it came last weekend in a 1-1 home draw with Juventus, who are the two-time running Italian champions and are the favourites for the Scudetto in 2013-14. Inter commenced the season with a 2-0 success against Genoa at the San Siro and defeated Catania 3-0 away the very next weekend.
Just five minutes to kickoff. The players are getting ready and will be out of the tunnel and onto the pitch shortly.
The players are out on the pitch as pre-match formalities are being carried out.
KICKOFF: Inter Milan get the contest underway...
Patient build-upfrom Inter that earns them a corner. The visitors build up play from the back and Rodrigo Palacio finds himself with the ball inside the Sassuolo penalty box, but he is dispossessed. However, the corner does not yield anything productive.
CHANCE! Fredy Guarin takes the first shot on target in the match, but fortunately for the home side it is hit straight at Alberto Pomini.
Another corner for Inter as Palacio’s cross is deflected towards goal and Sassuolo goalkeeper Alberto Pomini comes out to collect it, but fails. The corner does not yield anything for the Nerazzurri, but very positive start from Walter Mazzarri’s side.
Inter are still pressing on and are pushing their hosts deep inside their own half.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-1 Inter Milan (Rodrigo Palacio)
Inter Milan surge ahead after just seven minutes, thanks to the in-form Rodrigo Palacio. The former Italian champions push forward, this time down the left flank with Yuto Nagatomo, who hits a cross across the face of the goal and Palacio slides home from close range.
It does not come as a surprise at all that Inter have broken the deadlock so early. They are expected to win and will very, very likely do so. Coach Mazzarri will probably now look to make sure that his team play the way he wants them to. This is a team still under construction and is getting used to the former Napoli coach’s tactics.
CHANCE! Inter go close again and once more it is the Nagatomo-Palacio combination. The Argentine forward floats in a cross from inside the Sassuolo penalty area that is a bit too far for Nagatomo.
YELLOW CARD Francesco Magnanelli is cautioned for bringing down Esteban Cambiasso outside the penalty box as the Argentine midfielder was running in on goal. Free kick to the visitors.
CHANCE! Saphir Taider takes the free kick from all of 30 yards, goes for goal but just misses the target. It was a very good curling effort from the midfielder, but one that was not on target. Meanwhile, the home side make a change: Raffaele Pucino comes on for Marcello Gazzola.
YELLOW CARD Taider becomes the second player to get booked for his rather unnecessary challenge on Ezequiel Schelotto, who is actually on loan from Inter.
Inter are raining in on Sassuolo and asking the home defence all sorts of questions. Crosses, shots all are coming in that the hosts are just about managing to clear away.
Inter have played a very patient and possession game of football so far this match, and indeed this campaign. The three-man is working very well for the Nerazzurri, and course it helps that their first-choice striker Palacio is in red-hot form.
Sassuolo are gradually making moves into the Inter penalty area, showing a bit of confidence...
YELLOW CARD Simone Missiroli is booked for diving and rightly so, as he falls down outside the Inter area pretending to have been hacked down by Jonathan.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-2 Inter Milan (Saphir Taider)
As easy as you would like, Taider makes it 2-0 to Inter midway through the first half. Palacio is released inside the Sassuolo penalty area and he takes a shot on goal. Pomini makes the save at the near post, but 21-year-old midfielder Taider is on hand to tuck in the rebound from just yards out.
Inter are in full control of the contest at the Stadio Alberto Braglia and look very comfortable indeed. They have been all over their hosts and playing very intelligently and purposefully.
CHANCE! A half-chance for Sassuolo as a corner for them creates some problems for the Inter defence, who are unable to properly clear it. A cross from Jasmin Kurtic from the right eventually falls to Antonio Floro Flores, who gets his shot as quickly as he can but cannot get it past Samir Handanovic.
Palacio is once again creating problems for the home side inside their penalty area with his runs and movements. This time the referee flags him offside, but it does not bore well for Sassuolo that the Argentine is finding space begin their backline.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-3 Inter Milan (Raffaele Pucino OG)
It’s 3-0 just past the half-hour mark for Inter and it looks as if Raffaele Pucino has scored an own goal. Guarin curls a brilliant ball from the right flank aiming for Taider, but in an effort to head it out, Raffaele Pucino nods it inside his own net. Shambolic defending from the hosts.
It could even have been Taider who scored that third goal for Inter, but the video footage is very inconclusive. So for the moment it has been noted as a Pucino own goal. Moreover, Taider was not celebrating either.
CHANCE! Inter Milan surge forward in search of their fourth goal as Jonathan gallops down the right and then forces Pomini into making a good save at his near post.
SUBSTITUTION First change of the match for the home side, as Simone Zaza comes on for Raman Chibsah.
CHANCE! Sassuolo go agonisingly close to pulling a goal back, and once it is Floro Flores. It is Zara who makes the contribution as he drives from the midfield but his teammate’s effort from the edge of the box just flashes by the Inter post.
Inter have been pushing on for their fourth goal, as Palacio, Guarin and Taider all surge head. The visitors are showing very much hunger this afternoon. However, I have not seen much of Ricky Alvarez so far in the first half.
One minute of injury time has been awarded.
HALF TIME: Sassuolo 0-3 Inter Milan
The referee blows the half-time whistle and brings an end to what has been very much a one-sided affair. Inter Milan are leading Sassuolo 3-0 and deservedly so. Rodrigo Palacio broke the deadlock after just seven minutes when he turned in Yuto Nagatomo’s cross and midway through the half Saphir Taider tucked home a rebound. Then just after the half-hour mark Raffaele Pucino scored an own goal with a header.
Inter Milan have been very impressive in the first half, although it was against a bottom-of-the-table Sassuolo, who are on course to losing their fourth Serie A game in a row and have been awful in defence. Walter Mazzarri’s side have looked very composed and assured on the ball and have always shown the intensity to move forward and craft inroads into the hosts’ citadel.
Palacio, Taider, Guarin and Jonathan all have been brilliant in going forward and in giving Inter a real impetus. Cambiasso has gone on with his anchor-midfielder’s role quietly as always, although Ricky Alvarez has yet to burst into life. Maybe he will in the second half.
For Sassuolo, it will be all about damage control in the second 45 minutes. They are 3-0 down and they would know that staging a comeback is very, very improbably. Perhaps an early goal would help and Simone Zaza’s introduction late in the first half has already shown some signs. Having said that, the hosts should not too despondent about losing to an Inter side that are challenging for a top-three place in Serie A this season.
If results stay this way, then Inter will move to the top of the league standings on 10 points from four matches and will retain their unbeaten start to the campaign. As for Sassuolo, they will remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The second half will get underway shortly, as I can see Diego Milito of Inter Milan is warming up on the pitch.. He is a substitute for today’s match and he would well come on in the second half. And so could Mateo Kovacic, who is an excellent prospect for the future.
The two sets of players are indeed coming onto the picth now. The second half will get underway in a matter of minutes. Inter lead 3-0 from the first half.
KICKOFF: Sassuolo get the second half underway. Remember, they are 3-0 down from the first half...
CHANCE! Simone Zaza has a go for the home side, but Handanovic is calm and composes between the Inter sticks and makes no mistake in collecting his effort.
CHANCE! Ricky Alvarez gets his first chance of the match to etch his name on the scoresheet but he fails. Nagatomo makes a surging run down the middle and passes it to Alvarez, who drags the ball to the left side of the Sassuolo penalty box and then shoots at the far post. However, his shot goes wide.
CHANCE! Schelotto drills in a cross from the right that just evades two of his Sassuolo teammates. Inter were very fortunate there as their defence was caught out on that occasion.
Alvarez and Guarin combine on the right flank now as the former releases the latter, who, though, is unable to properly control the ball and is forced to concede a goal kick. The momentum is picking up in the second half.
Sassuolo have looked very enthusiastic in the opening minutes of the second half and are not scared to take the game to Inter. Zaza has been a real difference-maker for the hosts.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-4 Inter Milan (Ricky Alvarez)
Awful defending from Sassuolo, who concede their fourth goal of the match. Palacio is released down the right and Jonathan Rossini’s hesitation in closing him down allows him to shoot on goal. Pominin makes the save, but Alvarez is on hand to slot home the rebound from inside the six-yard box.
SUBSTITUTION Diego Miltio comes on for Inter in place of Palacio. This will be the veteran Argentine striker’s first game since February as he has been out with injuries. Once the world’s most clinical striker, Milito will be looking to mark his return with a goal today.
CHANCE! Milito almost makes it 5-0 for Inter as he collects a ball on the right and then shoots, but can only drag his effort just wide of the far post.
SUBSTITUTION Another change for Inter. Mateo Kovacic replaces Saphir Taider.
SUBSTITUTION Change for the hosts. Paolo Bianco replaces Jonathan Rossini.
CHANCE! Sassuolo go close to pulling one back as Floro Flores shoots on goal but fails to get his effort on target. He was in a good position and should have at least hit the target. But the referee spares his blushes by raising the offside flag.
CHANCE! Fredy Guarin goes agonisingly close for Inter but his ferocious attempt goes wide of the mark. Inter are looking hungry for their fifth goal of the contest.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-5 Inter Milan (Diego Milito)
It was written in the stars, wasn’t it? Diego Milito scores in his first match since February from just yards out. Alvarez is the creator as he uses his lovely footwork on the right and gets a cute, little cross in for the striker to slide home from inside the six-yard box. Milito and the rest of his Inter teammates celebrate the wonderful moment.
CHANCE! Wonderful, world-class ball played by Kovacic over the top of the Sassuolo defence for Guarin, who just fails to keep his attempt on target from inside the penalty box.
SUBSTITUTION Inter make their third and final substitution of the match. Jonathn is replaced by Wallace.
Twenty minutes remain in the contest that Inter are dominating on all fronts. It’s 5-0 at the moment and Walter Mazzarri’s side are still pushing for more goals.
As much as Mazzarri will be pleased with Inter’s attacking prowess today, he will be delighted with his side’s defensive performance as well. The former Italian champions have conceded just once so far in the league this season – and that was against Juventus last weekend.
Alvarez has been the best player on the pitch in the second half and has really stepped up his game from the first period when he looked rather quiet and appeared to follow rather than lead. However, the 25-year-old has really made his mark since the restart.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-6 Inter Milan (Esteban Cambiasso)
Cambiasso makes it 6-0 to Inter and what a lovely piece of skill he uses to get his goal! A good Inter attacking move sees Milito receive the ball just outside the Sassuolo penalty box and he sets up Cambiasso to curl home with his left foot. Probably the best goal of the afternoon.
Sassuolo are now down to 10 men as Antonio Floro Flores cannot continue because of the cramp in his legs he suffered earlier in the second half. The home side have used up all of their three substitutions and will have to play the remaining minutes with a man short.
Alvarez is once again in the thick of the action as he gallops with the ball down the right and bursts into the area, before cutting a cross for Kovacic, who makes a judgement call and decides to leave it for one of his teammates. However, his trick does not come off and the danger is cleared.
GOAL! Sassuolo 0-7 Inter Milan (Diego Milito)
Sassuolo are punished again for playing a high defensive line and concede the seventh goal of the match. Guarin is released down the right and he slips in a cross that Milito turns home for his second goal of the contest. What a return to action for the Argentine forward!
Five minutes to full-whistle, Sassuolo are down to 10 men, Inter are 7-0 up and Diego Milito is on a hat-trick. That pretty much sums up the match.
Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco is angry with his defence as they once again allow Ricky Alvarez to run into the penalty box. The tactician will have loads to do after this match, especially defensively. Floro Flores’s injury will also be a setback for him.
If Inter maintain this scoreline, then this will be their biggest ever win in Serie A away from home. Their last record was a 6-0 victory on two separate occasions.
FULL TIME: Sassuolo 0-7 Inter Milan
It’s all over at the Stadio Alberto Braglia as Inter Milan have hammered newly-promoted Sassuolo 7-0 in Serie A. It was the Nerazzurri’s biggest ever victory away from home in Serie A and propels them to the top of the table for the time being. As for Sassuolo, they remain rooted to the foot of the table with no point from four games.
Rodrigo Palacio opened the scoring for Inter after just seven minutes, Saphir Taider doubled their lead midway through the first half and a Raffaele Pucino own goal made it 3-0 before the break. Ricky Alvarez burst into life at the start of the second half and scored on 53 minutes, before Diego Milito found the target in his first appearance for the Nerazzurri since February. Esteban Cambiasso made it 6-0 for Walter Mazzarri’s side on 75 minutes and Milito wrapped up the win eight minutes later.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match here on Sports Mole. Thank you very much for joining us and hope that you have a good afternoon. Goodbye!
