Sassuolo and AC Milan played out a 1-1 draw at the Mapei Stadium on Sunday, with both goals arriving after the interval in a match that Sky Sport described as heavily disrupted by injuries.
Adrien Rabiot put Milan ahead in the 63rd minute with a powerful left-footed strike from the left side of the penalty area, following a pass from Luka Modric. Sassuolo responded five minutes later when Odenthal forced the ball home from close range after a corner from the left was flicked on at the near post by Doig.
The result leaves both sides with a point from a game that produced little fluency for long stretches, particularly before the break.
Why it matters
Milan's concern extends beyond the dropped points. Defender Gabbia, making his first start, was forced off after just over a quarter of an hour with what the Milan medical staff described as a muscular problem. According to Sky Sport, the club doctor's initial assessment pointed to a hamstring issue, though the player appeared in significant pain and further checks were expected to determine whether there was additional damage.
Gabbia left the pitch on a stretcher with his hands covering his face and was applauded by the crowd. De Winter replaced him.
Sassuolo also lost a central defender in the first half. Leysen went down holding his knee following a challenge with Pulisic and was unable to put weight on his foot, leaving the field carried by staff. Odenthal came on in his place and went on to score the equaliser.
A first half short on football
The opening period was fragmented, with the two injuries in the heart of both defences contributing to frequent stoppages. Sky Sport reported seven minutes of added time at the end of the first half, a reflection of how little play there had been.
Moreira also went down after a collision and briefly left the field, though he was able to return without assistance.
Almost all of the first half's genuine chances came in its closing stages. From the 43rd minute onward, Milan attacked with far greater purpose and forced Muric into a series of saves. The Sassuolo goalkeeper first denied Gonçalo Ramos twice within about twenty seconds, keeping out a left-footed effort and then a header. He then stopped Moreira's low attempt from inside the area and, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, pushed away a header from Pavlovic that was heading for the far corner.
Ramos had earlier created Milan's first real opening of that sequence, cutting inside from the right instead of crossing and testing Muric at the near post.
Sassuolo's best moment before the interval came through Berardi, who won the ball and broke away before being held back by Estupinan, who was booked. Moreira also sent a left-footed free kick towards goal from the right, with Rabiot heading over.
Second half opens up
The game changed after the restart. Moreira produced a driving run down the left in the 49th minute, beating several opponents before finding Rabiot, whose effort was blocked behind for a corner.
Sassuolo then carved out a clear chance on the counter. Adzic released Berardi, who played the ball back into the path of his teammate inside the area, but Maignan came out to smother at Adzic's feet.
Milan took the lead through Rabiot's strike, only for Sassuolo to level through Odenthal's scrambled finish from the corner. Sky Sport reported that Aquilani had already been considering changes as his side's tempo dropped, with both coaches making alterations around the 79th minute: Jashari and Cisse came on for Musah and Pulisic at Milan, while Lipani and Cinquegrano replaced Van der Brempt and Matic for Sassuolo.
Muric remained busy. In the 71st minute, Pulisic threaded a pass through the middle for Chukwueze, who timed his run well and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, only for Muric to close the angle and deny him.
At the other end, Maignan had to be alert. In the 66th minute, Bowie was allowed to shoot freely with his left foot after Milan's defence opened up, and the goalkeeper parried. The move continued, with Laurienté crossing from the left for Thorstvedt, who attempted a backheel in front of goal.
Sassuolo thought they had scored in the 88th minute when, after a set piece and a deflection, Thorstvedt turned the ball in quicker than anyone else. The referee disallowed the goal, ruling against an earlier contact between Bowie and Ramos.
Laurienté wasted a late free kick in the 92nd minute, shooting well off target after Bowie won the set piece. In the 94th, Sassuolo broke away and a Norwegian player's shot was gathered by Maignan.
What to watch
Milan will be waiting on the results of assessments to Gabbia's injury, with the club already describing the problem as muscular and the player having left the stadium in visible distress. Sassuolo face a similar wait over Leysen, who could not walk off unaided. Both clubs will learn the extent of the damage in the coming days.
