Italian Serie A: Sassuolo see off Verona

Sassuolo came from behind to beat Hellas Verona 2-1 on Saturday evening, moving four points clear of their opponents in the Serie A standings.

Vangelis Moras gave the visitors to Reggio Emilia a flying start with a goal in the seventh minute, but Nicola Sansone grabbed a deserved equaliser early in the second half before Saphir Taider earned Sassuolo all three points.

The win extends Sassuolo's unbeaten run to seven games, which includes a draw with Juventus, and gives them confidence for a trip to Roma next weekend.

Meanwhile, Andrea Mandorlini's Verona have now gone seven games without a win, since they beat Cagliari almost two months ago.

It looked like that run was going to come to an end when Moras headed a corner from the left inside the near post, despite the best efforts of Andrea Consigli to keep the ball out.

Rarely did Hellas look like they were going to build on that advantage, though, as Sassuolo hit back at them strongly, carving out chance after chance to level.

The closest they came before half-time was when Francesco Magnanelli beat Rafael, but the crossbar denied him an equaliser.

Sassuolo were able to remain patient and not panic, and their initial reward came five minutes into the second half when Domenico Berardi's square pass teed up Sansone who, using the outside of his right foot, curled a 20-yard shot inside the left-hand post.

There was only one team in the game at that stage and it was only a matter of time before they took the lead.

That goal came in the 77th minute when Antonio Floro Flores' lofted ball to the far post was tapped in by Taider, earning Sassuolo a lead that was long overdue, and fully deserved.

They could have won more comfortably too had Floro Flores made more of a late chance, while Luca Toni's shot on goal in stoppage time was too little for Hellas, being only their second effort on goal all match.