Serie A 21/22: Sassuolo 3-1 Venezia

Coming off an impressive win against Fiorentina, Venezia arrived in a confident mood to take on Sassuolo at Stadio Città del Tricolore on Saturday night. But despite a dream start to the match, as they went in front against the perennially competitive neroverdi, Venezia would watch things turn against them, with an injury to Gianluca Busio and a second-half own goal, and ultimately suffered their first loss in four weeks, going down to the hosts, 3-1.

Venezia manager Paolo Zanetti would be without three regulars for the trip to Emilia Romagna. Forward Dennis Johnsen, who leads the team in key passes and shot-creating actions, extended his contract through 2024/2025 in midweek, but also learned he would be missing the next three weeks with the right ankle injury he sustained against Fiorentina. Meanwhile, attacking-midfielder and Fiorentina match-winner Mattia Aramu and holding midfielder A.J. Vacca were also ruled out for Sassuolo.

In their places, David Okereke returned to start up front with Thomas Henry, Sofian Kiyine lined up behind the strikers, and Domen Črnigoj came into midfield.

From the start, Venezia were a threat playing on the counter-attack, attempting early progressive passes over the top of the defense and into channels for Okereke and Henry up front.

In the 28th minute, Okereke latched onto a beautiful defense splitting pass from Kiyine on the left side and played an inviting cross to the far post, but Henry couldn’t get his header down and under the bar.

Four minutes later, Okereke decided to take things into his own hands. As Kiyine dribbled into midfield, he turned and found Ethan Ampadu on the overlap, creating a clear angle for a pass down the left wing. Ampadu pinged a ball into space for a running Henry — but Okereke veered off his far-post run and waved off Henry to take it himself, then cut back inside onto his right foot and unleashed a magnificent curling strike around the ‘keeper and into the top corner. It was stunning solo goal, and it gave Venezia a deserved lead.

But it only took five minutes for Sassuolo to respond. In the 37th minute, Sassuolo star Domenico Berardi dribbled across the area from right to left, feigning shot attempts and sliding past defenders Pietro Ceccaroni and Michael Svoboda to find an opening, before firing a left-footed laser past Sergio Romero. Suddenly, Venezia’s dream start was canceled out.

Riding the momentum of their equalizer, Sassuolo would nearly grab a second goal in the 41st minute, when left-back Rogério played in a low cross that ricocheted and found Berardi, but Romero stepped up with an amazing reaction save at point-blank range.

Just before half-time, Venezia would have a golden opportunity to go back in front. From his own half, Kiyine played a sublime ball over the top of the defense, sending Okereke in on goal. Okereke took one touch out of the air, another touch to set himself, and looked sure to score his second of the match with only the ‘keeper in front of him, but just as he was pulling the trigger, Romania international Vlad Chiricheș slid in from behind and blocked the shot.

Going into half-time, Venezia should have been satisfied with their performance and felt they had everything to play for. But they would suffer a major setback when Busio, one of Venezia’s most influential midfielders this season, did not come out for the second half. Busio had been helped off the pitch in the 5th minute after a challenge on striker Gianluca Scamacca, and although he would eventually return and play out the half, he could not continue further, with Israel international Dor Peretz coming on to replace him. And just a few minutes into the second half, things would get worse.

In the 50th minute, Sassuolo substitute Hamed Traorè played a sharp corner kick to the near post, and Henry was in position to head away, but defender Gian Marco Ferrari shoved Henry from behind and forced him to turn it into his own net. Henry protested the contact, and rightly so on what looked to be a foul, but there was no call.

It felt harsh on Venezia to be down, and they never seemed to recover from the psychological blow, despite there being plenty of time left.

Looking to refresh his attack, Zanetti brought on striker Francesco Forte and attacking midfielder Arnór Sigurðsson in the 58th minute. But it would be Sassuolo getting the next goal.

In the 66th minute, Giacomo Raspadori broke the lines with his dribbling and found a streaking Davide Frattesi, who clinically fired in Sassuolo’s third unanswered goal, effectively ending the match.

After Frattesi’s goal, Forte would put the ball into the back of the net twice, but was marginally offside in both instances. There would be no comeback, as Sassuolo absorbed pressure and saw out the result.

Venezia will have to pick up the pieces quickly, as they return to action on Tuesday night, hosting last-place Salernitana at Stadio Penzo in Giornata 10.

Sassuolo 3-1 Venezia

Scorers: Okereke 32’, Berardi 37’, Henry 50’ (OG), Frattesi 66’

Sassuolo (4-2-3-1): Consigli, Toljan, Chiricheș (Ayhan 69’), Ferrari, Rogério, Frattesi (Müldür 83’), Lopez, Berardi (Henrique 83’), Raspadori, Đuričić (Traorè 28’), Scamacca (Defrel 69’)
Subs not used: Goldaniga, Magnanelli, Peluso, Harroui, Satalino, Pegolo, Kyriakopoulos
Coach: Alessio Dionisi

Venezia (4-3-3): Romero, Ebuehi (Mazzocchi 68’), Svoboda, Ceccaroni, Haps, Črnigoj (Sigurðsson 58’), Ampadu (Tessmann 68’), Busio (Peretz 46’), Kiyine, Okereke, Henry (Forte 58’)
Subs not used: Mäenpää, Molinaro, Modolo, Bjarkason, Schnegg, Caldara, Neri
Coach: Paolo Zanetti