Sassuolo 1-1 Torino: Neroverdi hold Granata to stalemate

Date: 19th April 2015 at 2:29pm
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Torino were held to a 1-1 draw against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium in the early Serie A kick-off, on Sunday afternoon.

Torino will have felt slightly aggrieved not to have come away with all three points after dominating most of the encounter, and the stalemate leaves them in eighth place and at long odds now to snatch a Europa League place.

Toro had the first sight on goal after just four minutes, as veteran hit-man Fabio Quagliarella found himself with some space on the edge of the area, but his shot flew high and wide.

Sassuolo youngster Domenico Berardi was the player who had the next shot in anger, as the talented forward cut in from the left, and saw his effort just skimming the left post by inches from about 25 yards a few minutes later.

It was the away side that had most of the possession in the early stages, and they were intent on doing something productive with it, with the Neroverdi’s Andrea Consigli the busier of the two goalkeepers — first saving from another meek Quagliarella effort, then getting down well to deny Marco Benassi’s cracker from the edge of the area.

Granata striker Josef Martinez was next to try his luck, having three efforts parried in as many minutes, with his second in particular, drawing a fantastic reflex save out of Consigli.

It would be the home side that would head into the interval with the lead however, after the referee blew for a dubious penalty after it was adjudged Kamil Glik had tripped Antonio Floro Flores on the stroke of half-time. Replays showed that Glik stood his ground however, and the Sassuolo striker made the most of the contact.

Berardi stepped up, and promptly slotted home the resulting spot-kick into the right-hand corner to hand his side the lead against the run of play as both teams headed into the break.

Incredibly, it would be the two same players that tangled for the first penalty, that were involved in the next just before the hour mark. This time it was the other way around — and again it was fairly dubious — as Floro Flores was adjudged to have fouled the Polish international.

Quagliarella made no mistake from the spot, and the Granata got their just rewards, leveling the match.

The Granata continued the second half as they did in the first, continually on the front foot and pressing for another goal. Cesare Bovo, Quagliarella and substitute Maxi Lopez all had half-chances but were unable to take full control of them.

The highly impressive Bruno Peres was introduced for Toro with 30 minutes to play, and despite the coveted Brazilian looking lively on the right flank, not even he could do enough to get the Granata over the line, as the two sides had to settle for the spoils.

 

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