Key Takeaways
- AC Milan lost 2-0 to US Sassuolo after Fikayo Tomori received a red card in the first half.
- Domenico Berardi and Armand Laurienté scored the goals for the home side at the Mapei Stadium.
- The defeat damages Milan’s hopes of securing a top-two finish and puts their Champions League spot under pressure.
AC Milan’s hopes of climbing the Serie A table suffered a major setback following a 2-0 loss to US Sassuolo. The Rossoneri played with ten men for more than an hour after defender Fikayo Tomori was sent off.
The visitors needed a victory to overtake Napoli in second position. However, their plans collapsed early at the Mapei Stadium.
Domenico Berardi gave the home side the lead after only five minutes. He collected the ball on the right wing and curled a precise shot into the far bottom corner. This marked his twelfth career goal against Milan.
Disaster struck for the away side when Tomori fouled Laurienté during a quick counter-attack. The referee showed the England international a second yellow card, leaving Milan with a huge challenge.
Even before the sending-off, Rafael Leão wasted a clear opportunity to equalise. The Portuguese forward ran clear of the defence but blasted his shot wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Sassuolo started the second half with immediate impact. Within ninety seconds of the restart, Laurienté doubled the lead. He played a one-two with Kristian Thorstvedt inside the penalty area and thumped the ball low into the net.
Milan struggled to create chances against the organised hosts. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan made several important saves to keep the score at two goals.
The result leaves Milan vulnerable in the race for Champions League qualification. Juventus can now move level on points with them if they secure victory against Verona. The Rossoneri have now failed to score in five of their last seven league matches.