A decimated Sassuolo suffered their first Europa League defeat, falling 3-1 away to Belgian side Genk.

See how all the action unfurled on the Liveblog.

A decimated Sassuolo suffered their first Europa League defeat, falling 3-1 away to Belgian side Genk.

See how all the action unfurled on the Liveblog.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s men were hoping to continue their Europa League fairytale, having crushed Athletic Bilbao 3-0, but were absolutely decimated in Belgium. Domenico Berardi, Alfred Duncan, Paolo Cannavaro, Alessandro Matri, Alessandro Gazzola, Luca Antei and Simone Missiroli didn’t make the trip. Genk missed Uronen and Wouters in defence and were without a win since August 28 in all competition.

The Neroverdi had a very aggressive start, earning three corners in the opening six minutes. However, they were caught out on the counter, as a Alejandro Pozuelo ball was flicked to the back post where Nikolaos Karelis anticipated Andrea Consigli to lob into an empty net.

Davide Biondini drilled just past the upright after good work from Matteo Politano and Sassuolo continued to attack with Pol Lirola’s dangerous cross, but again Genk scored on the counter as if they were the away side.

Consigli only parried a fierce Tino-Sven Susic strike from distance and 19-year-old Jamaican Leon Bailey followed up on the rebound. It was his third goal in two Europa League games.

Consigli did considerably better to beat away a ferocious Bailey right-foot strike at the near post and a left-footed effort after skipping past Francesco Acerbi. Wilfred Ndidi turned a free header wide from Bailey’s set play and Karelis fired across the face of goal to skim the upright just before half-time.

Sassuolo had some strong penalty appeals after the restart, because Lorenzo Pellegrini was tripped right on the outside edge of the box by Sandy Walsh, quite possibly inside the area, but only received a free kick.

Consigli again did well to deny Bailey at the near post and could do little when Thomas Buffel completed a give-and-go with Pozuelo to sweep into the far bottom corner with the inside of his right boot.

Sassuolo did get a consolation goal thanks to Matteo Politano’s solo effort taking a massive deflection to loop over the helpless goalkeeper.

That seemed to spark some enthusiasm in the Neroverdi and they threatened to add another with Antonino Ragusa’s header over the bar and Francesco Magnanelli’s angled drive wide, both set up by Pol Lirola.

Bailey was always dangerous on the counter and forced a splendid Consigli save and at the other end nobody met a Federico Mazzitelli ball across the six-yard box, then Caputo’s follow-up was charged down.

Leandro Trossard came so close to a fourth for Genk in the final minutes, denied by the upright. Soon after, Tim Letschert cleared Mbwana Samatta’s attempt off the line.

Genk 3-1 Sassuolo

Karelis 8 (G), Bailey 25 (G), Buffel 61 (G), Politano 65 (S)

Genk: Bizot; Walsh, Brabec, Colley, Nastic; Pozuelo, Ndidi, Susic (Kumordzi 82); Bailey, Karelis (Samatta 75), Buffel (Trossard 87)

Sassuolo: Consigli; Lirola, Letschert, Acerbi, Peluso; Biondini (Ragusa 59), Magnanelli, Pellegrini (Mazzitelli 66); Ricci (Caputo 79), Defrel, Politano

Ref: Liany (ISR)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector