Hellas Verona 0-1 Sassuolo Player Ratings: Muric Rated 9/10 as Pinamonti Redeems Himself in Narrow 1-0 Sassuolo Victory

This isn’t the first time Sassuolo has defied expectations this season, having pulled off upsets earlier. Their strategy is clear, they aim to win every game, regardless of the opponent’s strength on paper. Despite Hellas Verona’s higher ranking earlier in the season, Sassuolo’s three points from this match have pushed them ahead of Verona in the Serie A standings. Hellas Verona dominated possession throughout the game, but Sassuolo capitalized on their opportunities with precise attacks, ultimately winning the fixture with a single goal.

After Suat Serdar clumsily conceded a penalty, Pinamonti stepped up to make the most of the given opportunity. His spot-kick was saved brilliantly by Lorenzo Montipo. At that time, we felt that momentum might shift, but moments later, the ball fell to Pinamonti again and he made no mistake, securing the three points. It was a moment of pure redemption.

But the real hero for Sassuolo was undoubtedly their goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. Hellas Verona threw everything at him, registering an incredible nine shots on target. Muric stood like a giant between the posts, repelling attack after attack. Without his heroics, the story of this match would have been very different.

Here are Hellas Verona Vs Sassuolo Player Ratings

Hellas Verona Player Ratings vs Sassuolo

Here are Hellas Verona Player Ratings vs Sassuolo

Goalkeeper

Lorenzo Montipò - 7.5: What a moment for the keeper. He produced a fantastic penalty save to deny Pinamonti, keeping his team level. That was a huge highlight. He couldn't do anything about the goal that followed moments later. Made a couple of other important saves and his distribution was okay. A very solid performance despite the loss.

Defenders

Martin Frese - 6.5: A busy evening for the defender. He was involved a lot, with 80 touches. He put in four tackles and got forward to support the attack, even testing the keeper once. However, he also lost possession 18 times which put his team under pressure. A mixed but energetic display.

Unai Núñez - 6.5: He was quite solid defensively, winning most of his duels. We noticed his composure on the ball, completing a high percentage of his passes. He even drew a couple of fouls to relieve pressure. A steady if unspectacular outing at the heart of the defence.

Victor Nelsson - 7.0: One of Verona's best outfield players. He seemed to be everywhere, making five clearances and blocking two shots. His last-man tackle was a crucial intervention. He was almost perfect with his passing, which was impressive under pressure. A very strong defensive performance.

Midfielders

Rafik Belghali - 6.0: He showed flashes of creativity, setting up three chances for his teammates. However, his final product was often lacking. He picked up a silly yellow card late in the game out of frustration. He needed to offer more control in the midfield.

Suat Serdar - 5.5: The captain had a day to forget. He fought hard in midfield, winning seven duels. But it was his clumsy challenge that gave away the penalty, a moment that defined the match. He was substituted shortly after, a clear sign of his difficult evening. A disappointing performance from our perspective.

Domagoj Bradarić - 6.5: A reliable outlet on the flank. He whipped in seven crosses and created two key chances for his forwards. He was tidy in possession and did his defensive work. A decent contribution before he was taken off.

Antoine Bernede - 6.5: Kept things ticking over nicely in the middle of the park. He was efficient with the ball and made some important tackles and interceptions. He provided good balance to the midfield before being substituted.

Roberto Gagliardini - 6.0: He started the game well, looking assured in possession. He recovered the ball seven times. However, he faded as the game went on and was dribbled past too easily on a few occasions. Didn't impose himself on the match as we'd expect.

Forwards

Gift Orban - 6.5: A very frustrating afternoon for the striker. He was a constant livewire, getting into good positions and taking four shots. But his finishing was wild, with three of those shots flying off target. He was a nuisance for the defenders but couldn't provide the clinical touch Verona desperately needed.

Giovane - 7.0: Verona's most dangerous attacker for much of the game. He had five shots and four of them forced saves from the brilliant Murić. He was a real handful, running at defenders and finding space. It was a surprise to see him substituted, as he looked the most likely to score.

Substitutes

Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro - 6.0: Came on and was immediately involved, but his main contribution was conceding fouls.

Cheikh Niasse - 6.0: Added fresh legs but couldn't change the game's dynamic.

Amin Sarr - 6.5: Looked bright and set up a chance for Orban.

Grigoris Kastanos - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Daniel Mosquera - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Manager

P. Zanetti - 6.0: His team created more than enough chances to win this game, never mind draw it. The game plan was clearly effective in getting his team into shooting positions. However, the lack of a clinical edge cost them dearly. You can't legislate for poor finishing.

Sassuolo Player Ratings vs Hellas Verona

Here are Sassuolo Player Ratings vs Hellas Verona

Goalkeeper

Arijanet Murić - 9.0: The undisputed man of the match and the reason Sassuolo won. An absolutely colossal performance. He made a staggering nine saves, many of them spectacular. He commanded his box, claimed crosses, and was a wall that Verona just could not break down. This was a match-winning display of the highest order. The highest-rated player on the pitch by a mile.

Defenders

Josh Doig - 6.0: It was a tough night for him. He struggled in his individual battles, winning only a fraction of his duels. He also lost possession frequently. He worked hard but was often on the back foot against Verona's attackers.

Sebastian Walukiewicz - 6.5: Made four crucial clearances and a couple of interceptions. He did his primary job of defending reasonably well. However, he was a little careless on the ball at times, which invited pressure.

Jay Idzes - 7.5: A tower of strength at the back. What stood out to us were his 14 clearances; he just seemed to head away everything that came into the box. He was strong in the duel and read the game superbly. A fantastic defensive shift to protect the lead.

Tarik Muharemović - 7.5: Partnered Idzes brilliantly to form a defensive wall. He was immense in the air, winning 83% of his aerial duels. He made nine clearances and was near-perfect in the tackle. An outstanding and resolute performance.

Midfielders

Nemanja Matic - 6.5: The veteran captain provided a calm presence in a chaotic game. He kept the ball moving but lost it more than he would have liked. He did his defensive work, making some important recoveries and drawing fouls to slow the game down.

Aster Vranckx - 6.0: A quiet performance from the midfielder. He struggled to make an impact on the game and was substituted before the hour mark. He won a few duels but didn't offer much in an attacking sense.

Ismaël Koné - 6.5: A hardworking performance in the engine room. He drove forward when he could and won most of his battles. He was solid without being spectacular, providing good energy before being substituted.

Forwards

Cristian Volpato - 5.5: A really poor outing. He struggled to get involved, lost possession 11 times from just 27 touches, and offered very little threat. It was no surprise to see him hooked before the hour.

Armand Laurienté - 6.0: He forced one good save from the keeper and tried to create things. But like his fellow attackers, he was largely anonymous for long periods. He was substituted early in the second half.

Andrea Pinamonti - 7.0: The villain and the hero in the space of two minutes. From our perspective, his character to score immediately after missing a penalty was impressive. That moment of composure won his team the game. Outside of that, he worked hard and was a physical presence, but the goal is all that matters.

Substitutes

Alieu Fadera - 7.0: Made a huge impact by winning the penalty with his direct running.

Nicholas Pierini - 6.0: Brought energy and got a yellow card for his troubles.

Kristian Thorstvedt - 6.0: Helped shore up the midfield to see out the win.

Edoardo Iannoni - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Walid Cheddira - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Manager

F. Grosso - 7.0: His team was second-best for large parts of this match. But his defensive organization was superb, and his goalkeeper was inspired. He made the right changes, and his team showed grit to grind out a result. A classic ugly away win, and he'll be delighted.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Muric