Serie A | Bologna 1-1 Sassuolo: Local rivals stall Rossoblu progress

Bologna and Sassuolo shared the spoils in this local derby, as Tarik Muharemovic cancelled out the Giovanni Fabbian opener.

This was a Reggio-Emilia Derby and the Rossoblu dived back into Serie A after the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh, where they beat Inter in the semi-final only to lose 2-0 to Napoli. Their form had dipped recently with one point from three rounds, as Torbjorn Heggem sat out a ban, with Federico Bernardeschi, Lukasz Skorupski and Nicolò Cambiaghi injured. Sassuolo had Woyo Coulibaly at AFCON, plus Domenico Berardi, Filippo Romagna and Edoardo Pieragnolo sidelined.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Federico Ravaglia got down to fingertip the Andrea Pinamonti snooker shot round the base of the far post after a Cristian Volpato counter-attack.

Jonathan Rowe went down too easily under pressure from Sebastian Walukiewicz, while Nadir Zortea and Riccardo Orsolini fired over from promising positions.

Sassuolo had two big chances in the space of 60 seconds, as first Pinamonti pounced on a poor Jhon Lucumi back-pass to force a desperate save out of Ravaglia, then the goalkeeper rushed off his line to deny Armand Laurienté on a dinked Volpato ball over the top.

Bologna also had a huge opportunity when Jay Idzes and Fali Cande combined to clear a Thijs Dallinga angled drive off the line.

Volpato cut inside from the right and bent a left-foot finish inches wide of the far post, but the deadlock was broken at the dawn of the second half.

Giovanni Fabbian started the move in midfield on the counter, sending Orsolini and then Zortea down the right, it was pulled back from the by-line for him to sweep in first-time from 12 yards.

However, Sassuolo drew level when Ravaglia got it all wrong on the Laurienté corner, allowing a glancing Tarik Muharemovic header from five yards.

Kristjan Thorstvedt could’ve turned the game around completely soon after, but scuffed his finish on a Josh Doig assist.

Another howler from Lucumi accidentally sent Alieu Fadera clear on goal, only for the Sassuolo substitute to balloon over the bar.

Bologna also threatened, Muric rushing off his line to deny Ciro Immobile, but Vincenzo Italiano’s men are now without a win in four Serie A rounds.

Fabbian 47 (B), Muharemovic 63 (S)