The clash between Sassuolo and Parma did not yield a winner as both teams settled for a draw in their Serie A showdown held on Saturday at Mapei Stadium, Città del Tricolore.
The first half saw Sassuolo seize the early advantage, with Kristian Thorstvedt finding the net in the 11th minute. However, Parma responded quickly, leveling the match just 12 minutes later through Mateo Pellegrino’s impressive strike in the 23rd minute.
One of the standout moments of the match was Pellegrino’s equalizer. The Parma forward struck from the left side and unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the box that left goalkeeper Arijanet Muric with no chance, hitting the right post before going in.
Mateo Pellegrino was undoubtedly the star player of the game, contributing with his equalizing goal and making four attempts on target against Sassuolo.
Not to be overlooked, Kristian Thorstvedt also shone for Sassuolo, playing a crucial role by scoring their opening goal.
Fabio Grosso, the head coach of Sassuolo, opted for a 4-3-3 formation which included Arijanet Muric as the goalkeeper; Sebastian Walukiewicz, Jay Idzes, Tarik Muharemovic, and Josh Doig in defense; Luca Lipani, Nemanja Matic, and Kristian Thorstvedt in midfield; with Armand Laurienté, Andrea Pinamonti, and Alieu Fadera leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Carlos Cuesta’s Parma fielded a 3-5-2 formation, featuring Edoardo Corvi as the keeper; Enrico Delprato, Alessandro Circati, and Lautaro Valenti at the back; Gaetano Oristanio, Lamine Keita, Adrián Bernabé, Oliver Sorensen, and Emanuele Valeri in midfield; and Mateo Pellegrino alongside Jacob Ondrejka up front.
Ermanno Feliciani officiated the match.
Looking ahead, Sassuolo will prepare for a challenging encounter against Juventus in the next round, while Parma will travel to face Napoli at Estadio Diego Armando Maradona. Currently, Sassuolo sits in ninth place with 23 points, while Parma finds itself in fourteenth, having accumulated 18 points in the league.
Substitutions for Sassuolo
58’ 2nd Half – Luca Lipani was replaced by Ismael Koné
73’ 2nd Half – Alieu Fadera was substituted for Walid Cheddira
84’ 2nd Half – Andrea Pinamonti left the field for Luca Moro
85’ 2nd Half – Josh Doig was replaced by Fali Candé, and Armand Laurienté was substituted for Nicholas Pierini
Yellow Cards for Sassuolo:
13’ 2nd Half – Nemanja Matic (Unsporting behavior)
48’ 2nd Half – Sebastian Walukiewicz (Holding an opponent to prevent progress)
Substitutions for Parma
68’ 2nd Half – Jacob Ondrejka was substituted by Nahuel Estévez
69’ 2nd Half – Gaetano Oristanio left the pitch for Pontus Almqvist
77’ 2nd Half – Enrico Delprato was replaced by Sascha Britschgi
Yellow Card for Parma:
43’ 2nd Half – Alessandro Circati (Holding an opponent to prevent progress)