Inter outclassed Sassuolo to win 7-0 at the Stadio Mapei on Sunday afternoon in Serie A.
The superior quality of the Inter side coupled with mediocre defending by the Neroverdi helped the Nerazzurri to a comfortable victory, with goals from Rodrigo Palacio, Saphir Taider, Ricky Alvarez, Diego Milito, Esteban Cambiasso and an own goal by Raffaele Pucino.
On their 2700th Serie A match a victory never looked in danger for the Milan based club with it looking equally likely that the hosts would add to the eight goals already conceded this season as the Nerazzurri dominated from start to finish.
The visitors took the lead as early as the seventh minute when Yuto Nagatomo chased a long ball down the left-hand side past the helpless Marcello Gazzola. The Japan international then needed just one touch to control the ball before delivering a precise low cross for Palacio to slide home.
Taider then went close with a curling free-kick that bent just passed the Sassuolo upright, however, the Algerian did not have to wait long for his first Inter goal.
As Juan Jesus strode forward without challenge he chipped the ball over an inadequate Sassuolo defence attempting an offside trap. Palacio collected the ball and drove low across the goalkeeper, but as the ball spun up into the air from Alberto Pomini’s save the onrushing Taider helped the ball into the net.
On 33 minutes Taider may well dispute that he completed his double when Freddy Guarin lofted a ball over the defence and as the midfielder challenged Pucino, who had just entered the fray from the bench, the defender looped a header over Pomini.
Eight minutes into the second half it was 4-0. Alvarez sliding an intelligent ball through for Palacio but Pomini could only palm his shot into the path of Alvarez who had continued his run into the box and stroke into an empty goal.
On 64 minutes the travelling Inter fans got what they had craved to complete the performance. Alvarez skilfully worked his way past Paolo Bianco before supplying a low ball for 2010 Champions League hero Milito to turn the ball home for his first goal since suffering serious injury last February.
The scoring had not ended there though as Milito rolled the ball carefully to countryman Cambiasso 20 yards from goal and the Inter captain bent the ball precisely beyond the outstretched reach of Pomini.
To make matters worse for Eusebio Di Franceco he was forced to endure the last 15 minutes with 10 men after the ineffectual Antonio Floro Flores was forced off through a calf injury with the coach having made all of his changes.
On 82 minutes Guarin outpaced Francesco Acerbi as he broke into the box, however, while the Colombian may have wanted to get himself on the scoreboard under the circumstances he instead selflessly slide the ball across the six yard box for Milito to sweep home his second.
If Sassuolo are to retain Serie A status, and their coach his job, they will quickly have to find solution to the Neroverdi defensive deficiencies.
Follow Kevin Pogorzelski on Twitter: @rabbitrabbiton
