Inter's perfect start ended by 2-1 loss to Sassuolo. AC Milan catches city rival atop Serie A
MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan saw its perfect start to the Serie A season come to an end as it fell to a surprise 2-1 loss at home to Sassuolo on Wednesday.
Denzel Dumfries fired Inter in front on the stroke of halftime but two goals in nine second-half minutes — including a stunner from Domenico Berardi — gave Sassuolo another impressive win, following its 4-2 victory over Juventus at the weekend.
The result left Inter level on points at the top of the table with city rival AC Milan after United States international Christian Pulisic helped the Rossoneri to a 3-1 victory over Cagliari.
Inter was looking to make it six wins out of six in an impressive start to the season and was also the only unbeaten side remaining in Serie A.
Matters appeared to be going to plan when it took the lead in first-half stoppages. Dumfries cut inside from the right and befuddled one defender before firing a shot between the legs of another and into the bottom left corner.
However, the warning signs had been there and Sassuolo equalized in the 54th minute when Berardi picked out Nedim Bajrami and his shot squirmed between Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer and his near post.
Berardi got on the scoresheet himself nine minutes later when he cut inside and curled a magnificent strike into the bottom left corner.
OSIMHEN CHEERED
Victor Osimhen put his off-the-field drama behind him as he scored to help Napoli beat Udinese 4-1.
The 24-year-old Osimhen scored Napoli’s second goal of the night with a precise shot into the far bottom corner near the end of the first half.
Osimhen, who was cheered by the fans before the match in a show of support, is considering legal action against his club after it posted a video mocking his penalty miss at the weekend.
Napoli was awarded another penalty on Wednesday, in the 19th minute. This time Piotr Zieliński stepped up and converted.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia netted his first goal of the season in the second half and Giovanni Simeone also scored for Napoli, seconds after Lazar Samardžić had pulled one back for Udinese.
NEW SIGNINGS SHINE
Noah Okafor and Ruben Loftus-Cheek netted their first Serie A goals, both set up by Pulisic, as the new signings took charge.
Zito Luvumbo gave Cagliari a surprise lead in the 29th minute but Milan turned the match around shortly before the interval.
Cagliari goalkeeper Boris Radunović fumbled the ball badly after Pulisic had got away from his marker and pulled it back from the byline, allowing Okafor to tap in the rebound in the 40th minute.
Radunović also got a finger to a cross from another one of Milan’s summer signings, Tijjani Reijnders, but it came through to Fikayo Tomori, who bundled it in from point-blank range to give the Rossoneri the lead on the stroke of halftime.
Milan extended its lead on the hour mark. Pulisic’s cross was blocked but it came back to him and he cut it back to the edge of the area for former Chelsea teammate Loftus-Cheek to smash into the bottom left corner.
OFF THE MARK
Promoted Empoli got its first points back in Serie A with its first goal as Tommaso Baldanzi's strike helped it beat Salernitana 1-0.
Empoli was the first side in Serie A history to be pointless and goalless after the opening five rounds.
Atalanta won 1-0 at Hellas Verona, and Lazio beat Torino 2-0.
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