Serie A | Inter 2-1 Sassuolo: Success scraped at San Siro

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 21: Federico Dimarco of Internazionale celebrates with teammate Francesco Pio Esposito after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Federico Dimarco and Carlos Augusto did just enough to secure an Inter victory over Sassuolo to get their Serie A season back on track.

The Nerazzurri had lost back to back Serie A games against Udinese and Juventus, so needed to turn things around after a midweek 2-0 Champions League victory away to Ajax. Lautaro Martinez was still carrying a back injury, so Francesco Pio Esposito was confirmed upfront with Amsterdam brace hero Marcus Thuram, and Yann Sommer rested. The Neroverdi lost their opening two rounds, then beat Lazio 1-0, missing injured Yeferson Paz and Laurs Skjellerup.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Carlos Augusto was one of those who stepped into the starting XI and made an immediate impact, dribbling past two at speed before his angled drive was fingertipped wide of the far post.

Armand Laurienté was offside when forcing a tough save from Josep Martinez at the near post, but Inter broke through with well-worked move that started in their own half.

Nicolò Barella sent Petar Sucic down the left and the Croatian pretended to shoot, instead laying it off smartly with a great no-look pass for Federico Dimarco behind him to sweep in undisturbed from 14 yards.

What a goal 🤩

Beautiful build up play for Inter, and di Marco finishes it off to put them 1-0 ahead!

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/tTkslm3GzO

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 21, 2025

Domenico Berardi flashed an angled drive across the face of goal after Ismael Kone’s counter-attack, while Andrea Pinamonti just failed to get on the end of Lauriente’s cross at the back post.

Marcus Thuram’s angled drive skimmed the far stick and Francesco Pio Esposito fired over after turning between two defenders with his back to goal.

After the restart, Josh Doig threw himself in the way of a Denzel Dumfries finish after a long passing move from left to right, then the same player charged down a Thuram header down. This sparked a counter-attack, from which Laurienté tested Martinez at the other end.

Esposito turned over after a give and go with Sucic, but at the other end Doig’s rapid sprint down the left saw him find the Andrea Pinamonti header, bringing a big one-handed save out of Martinez.

Arijanet Muric managed an even more remarkable save at the other end, as Dimarco hooked back a cross at the by-line for the Esposito overhead kick from six yards.

Muric kept Sassuolo in it with another big save, standing his ground to keep out Carlos Augusto on the Lautaro Martinez lay-off, while a Luis Henrique effort was deflected onto the side-netting.

Inter did finally double their lead on the resulting corner, as the Carlos Augusto finish from the edge of the area took a big deflection off Turak Muharemovic’s shinpad to totally wrong-foot Muric.

However, Sassuolo kept the game open by pulling one back moments later, as Walid Cheddira completed a give and go with Berardi to beat Martinez one-on-one.

Davide Frattesi had the ball in the net for Inter again on 86 minutes, but he was offside on the rebound when Muric had made another important save on Dimarco.

Berardi tested Martinez from outside the area in stoppages, as Inter were made to suffer to the end for this precious result.

Inter 2-1 Sassuolo

Dimarco 14 (I), Carlos Augusto 81 (I), Cheddira 84 (S)

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