Gattuso's first win as Napoli coach: the Azzurri regained their league win, their first in eight games. Sassuolo overturned in the dying seconds thanks to Obiang's own goal, beating Elmas to the post after Traoré's lead and Allan's equalizer. Napoli returned to winning ways after nearly two months, coming from behind at Sassuolo with a 94th-minute own goal. After a truly unwatchable first half, which ended with Traoré's goal, the Azzurri showed renewed energy in the second half and equalized with Allan's goal, a goal of pure anger. The Azzurri then laid siege to the opposition until the 94th minute, when a dramatic goal broke a protracted crisis. Sassuolo threatened immediately through Caputo, so much so that Rui had to clear off the goalline. Then Duncan became a real threat. The Azzurri were at the mercy of the Emilians in the opening minutes: a team that still appears to be recovering. The Neroverdi don't let the Azzurri get a touch of the ball: an embarrassing start, to say the least. Caputo narrowly misses the lead. Wide spaces, frayed lines: Napoli control the pitch poorly. The first real Azzurri attempt comes from Manolas, a header in the 18th minute, which grazes the crossbar. But Sassuolo continues to dominate the game. Kyriakopoulos comes close to scoring. The Azzurri watch. And then, in the 29th minute, the disaster arrives: Traoré takes a cross into the box, the defense slumbers, and beats Meret. In the second half, Sassuolo again, but Insigne attempts an attempt, which Pegolo saves as best he can. In the next move, Hysaj (who had just come on for Luperto) is hounded in the box, falls, and the Azzurri invoke a penalty: nothing is conceded. Then, Muldur wreaks havoc in the Azzurri penalty area, with the Neapolitan defenders frozen. Milik tries a header, but it's no big deal. Yet, out of nowhere, Allan finds a powerful goal on the edge of the box: the ball hits the top corner in the 57th minute. The Brazilian warrior tries again shortly after, but Sassuolo clears it for a corner. The Azzurri seem to be improving. Yet the hosts are dangerous on the counterattack: Obiang hits the crossbar. A still-unconvincing Fabian comes off for Elmas. In the 74th minute, a free kick plays in, but Callejon fails to surprise Pegolo. Milik comes off to make way for Mertens. Then it's a Napoli celebration: Callejon hits the crossbar, Mertens narrowly misses with a header. In the 80th minute, Napoli makes it 2-1 with Callejon's header, but the VAR disallows the score for offside. In the 89th minute, Mertens wastes an opportunity to take the lead after being set up by Insigne: the ball goes wide. Zielinski also tries, but his shot goes wide. Then, on the following corner kick, it was a real apotheosis: Elmas headed it home in a melee, with an involuntary assist from his opponent.
SASSUOLO (4-2-3-1): Pegolo; Muldur, Peluso, Marlon (50′ Romagna), Kyriakopoulos; Obiang, Locatelli; Duncan (64′ Djuricic), Traoré, Boga (82′ Magnanelli); Caputo. Coach De Zerbi
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Luperto (46′ Hysaj), Mario Rui; Zielinski, Allan, Fabian Ruiz (70′ Elmas); Callejon, Milik (77′ Mertens), Insigne. Coach Gattuso
Goals – 29′ Traoré (S), 57′ Allan (N), 94′ aut. Obiang (N)
Yellow cards: Mario Rui (N), Traoré (S), Locatelli (S), Elmas (N)
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