Cannavaro nods away yet another headed clearance, as Sassuolo continue to defend brilliantly. The hosts are happy to go all the way back to their goalkeeper and retain possession, as they close out a memorable result. Athletic Club look demoralised.
Raul Garcia gets a late booking for a nasty tackle.
90' +1
We're into the first of four minutes of stoppage time in Italy.
90'
Consigli makes a simple save from Raul Garcia at his near post, with the ex-Atleti man unable to muster up the same kind of strike that won Athletic Club three points against Deportivo last time out. Despite the scoreline, Sassuolo are still hounding their opponents, with Duncan doing well to dispossess Benat.
88'
Aduriz has a close-range effort from inside the penalty area, but Magnanelli makes a good block with his midriff. Sabin goes down and needs some treatment, as it appears the wide man has got a spot of cramp. He has been working very hard indeed this evening. The visitors temporarily go down to ten men, but their first foray forward ends when Aduriz is caught offside.
86'
Good stop from Herrerin! The Athletic Club goalkeeper stands up tall to make an important one-on-one save, with a shot from Ragusa cannoning off the Spaniard's chest. Despite holding such a commanding lead, Sassuolo are still looking for further goals.
84'
Athletic Club need three goals in less than 10 minutes if they are to even take a share of the spoils in Italy. The away side bend a cross towards the back post from the left-hand side, but Acerbi heads behind for a corner. The set-piece is angled in well, but two important headers clear their lines.
83'
A. Matri enters the game and replaces G. Defrel.
Defrel jogs off for a rest, with Matri replacing him up front.
82'
M. Politano has scored a goal for Sassuolo! Assist by G. Defrel.
Defrel holds the ball up nicely, biding his time before flicking a pass into the path of his teammate.
GOOOOOOOOAL! POLITANO MAKES IT 3-0! The wide man bursts towards the penalty area, before slotting a wonderful finish into the bottom corner and beyond a wrong-footed Herrerin. That wraps up the three points for the home side.
81'
Consigli gets very fortunate, after dropping a Benat free-kick inside his own box, with a fortunate deflection allowing the goalkeeper to pounce on the second ball. Moments later, the Sassuolo is much more confident and claims a Susaeta cross brilliantly.
79'
Sassuolo are patiently keeping the ball now, with Athletic Club seemingly a little low on ideas at this stage of the game. The visitors have been very direct, but Acerbi and Cannavaro have been excellent aerially this evening. Magnanelli lifts a long ball over the top for Ragusa to chase, but De Marcos intervenes.
Minute
Description
77'
Lekue enters the game and replaces Balenziaga.
Sassuolo are now two goals to the good and appear to be set to win their first ever European match, with Valverde looking rather livid in his own technical area. The hosts have been much-improved since the restart, with the introduction of Aduriz offering little for Los Leones.
Lekue replaces Balenziaga for the away side, which is a straight swap at left-back.
75'
G. Defrel has scored a goal for Sassuolo!
GOOOOOOOOAL! DEFREL MAKES IT 2-0! After a bad mistake from San Jose, the Frenchman is onto the loose ball in a flash. The Sassuolo striker races into the penalty area and places a neat finish beyond an exposed Herrerin. Terrible backpass from the Athletic Club midfielder.
74'
A. Duncan enters the game and replaces L. Mazzitelli.
Di Francesco freshens up his midfield slightly, with Duncan replacing Mazzitelli in the centre of the park.
72'
Benat takes a clever free-kick short, but Susaeta is denied the chance to shoot from a tight angle. The hosts concede a corner, which is delivered from the right, but Acerbi heads clear, with Sassuolo also dealing with two more successive crosses. The Serie A club are holding out for now.
70'
There is a brief break in play, as Benat goes down after being caught by Defrel. Di Francesco continues to bark out instructions from his technical area, as only 20 minutes stand between the home side and three historic points.
68'
Benat sees a shot charged down, but De Marcos picks up the scraps and delivers a cross. The right-back bend in a cross, which is clear, before Athletic Club claim for a penalty as Sabin tumbles to the turf. The referee isn't interested, with the move ending in Balenziaga shooting wide.
66'
Close for Aduriz! The experienced striker is picked out by a lovely, searching cross from Susaeta, but can't rise high enough to direct a back-post header home. He knows that it was a great chance, but he mistimed his jump slightly.
64'
Athletic Club threaten down the left, with Biondini doing well to drop back and chase back to make a good tackle. Sassuolo respond with a counter-attack, but Yeray covers across to defuse the situation for Los Leones.
62'
L. Mazzitelli gets yellow.
Mazzitelli picks up Sassuolo's second yellow card of the game, after a scrappy tackle in midfield.
Less than half an hour remains in this game, with Sassuolo looking likely to take three points on their first night in the Europa League. Athletic Club break down the right at pace, but a cross in from De Marcos is headed to safety by Acerbi.
60'
Pol Lirola has scored a goal for Sassuolo! Assist by D. Biondini.
GOOOOOOOOAL! LIROLA OPENS THE SCORING FOR THE HOSTS! The right-back finds himself in a very dangerous area indeed, after another quick attack. The Spaniard strokes a low finish into the bottom-left corner, after making his way into the penalty area with consummate ease. Laporte was left for dead!
Biondini slips a pass into Lirola, but the Spaniard does all of the hard work.
58'
Raul Garcia is the target of a quick cross in from the left flank, but Cannavaro gets ahead of the ex-Atletico Madrid midfielder. Aduriz gets his first half chance, after seeing a delivery cut back to him just inside the penalty box, but the experienced striker sees a shot blocked.
56'
Defrel is picked out by a quick pass in behind the visiting defence, but Herrerin is quick to react and smother the loose ball. Athletic Club respond with Balenziaga breaking down the left, but a deflected cross in from the left finds its way straight to Consigli.
54'
Aduriz enters the game and replaces I. Williams.
A. Ragusa enters the game and replaces F. Ricci.
Susaeta enters the game and replaces Muniain.
Herrerin is quick off his line to claim a dangerous cross from the left-hand side, as the hosts continue to try and mount a bit of a resurgence. Raul Garcia goes down heavily, following a late tackle, but is quickly back to his feet.
Susaeta comes into the game out wide, in place of Muniain.
Ricci is replaced for the hosts, with Ragusa introduced into the midfield mix.
Aduriz, Athletic Club's main goal threat, replaces Williams. Sabin should move out wide as a result.
53'
F. Acerbi gets yellow.
Yellow card Francesco Acerbi
52'
San Jose wins a free-kick around 40 yards from goal, which Benat stands over. The diminutive midfielder bends a delivery towards the back post, but Cannavaro rises highest to head clear. A second delivery into the area loops over the figure of Sabin. That's a little bit better from Los Leones.
50'
Sassuolo have started brightly since the restart, with the hosts keen to take the game to their opponents. Biondini is leading by example, racing about to throw himself into tackles. The home fans have responded, making more noise as a result.
48'
Politano drives down the right, before chopping infield. Ricci is picked out on the left-hand side, before cutting inside, but the winger can only fire beyond the far post. It appears that the pair have switched wings at the start of this second period.
46'
We are back underway in the second half of Sassuolo's first-ever European game!
45'
Benat unleashes a fierce strike from range, which Consigli has to adjust to parry away from the danger zone. Sabin was very close indeed to firing in the rebound. Athletic Club win themselves a corner, which the same midfielder delivers, but the Sassuolo goalkeeper punches clear at his near post as the ball threatened to bend in.
43'
Sassuolo threaten down the right once again, with Lirola beating Muniain for skill, but the young right-back's cross is blocked. The hosts maintain their pressure, but a poor touch from Politano, under the watchful eye of De Marcos, allows for Athletic Club's goalkeeper to come out and gobble up the ball.
41'
Williams beats two players and bursts into a pocket of space on the edge of the box, but sees an eventual shot charged down. Letschert responds with a break forward, as Politano allows the Dutchman to overlap, but after cutting inside the left-back blasts over the target.
39'
Benat looks to slide a pass in behind for Sabin to chase, but Consigli is alert once again to Athletic Club's game-plan and sweeps up neatly. Sassuolo respond with Magnanelli clipping an inviting ball over the top for Politano to chase, but the Italian wide man is beaten to the pass by Herrerin.
37'
Herrerin has to be alert in order to gobble up yet another stray through-ball from Sassuolo, whose final ball has been awful. Sabin is the target of another cross into the hosts' box, but Cannavaro clears again. This contest has lacked that little bit of cutting edge required to break the deadlock.
35'
Less than 10 minutes remain until the break, with both goalkeepers still having a rather easy time of it. Athletic Club retain the ball patiently, as Valverde's side have been careful to pick their moments to get forward on the offensive.
33'
Politano beats De Marcos brilliantly with a nice piece of skill, but then stabs an awful through-ball straight to Herrerin, while Biondini throws his hands up in frustration on the far side. Sassuolo try to counter again moments later, with Mazzitelli picking up possession in midfield, but another stray pass lets the hosts down.
31'
Los Leones continue to ask the questions in this first half, with Sassuolo's defending being very rushed and desperate at times. Politano fires a long pass into Defrel's chest, with the Frenchman doing brilliantly to bring it down. Sassuolo's move, however, quickly breaks down.
29'
Muniain is found by a great pass out wide, before the Spain international beats Ricci with some neat footwork. Sabin tries to bend a cross in from the left, but places his delivery far too close to Consigli. Benat gives Sabin some encouragement, as the two have been combining brilliantly on the counter so far in Italy.
27'
Ricci plays a diagonal ball out to the left-hand side, but Politano eventually loses out on the edge of the box. Athletic Club try to break at real pace, putting Sabin straight in behind with a long pass, but Consigli is off his line in a flash to rush out and hammer a clearance into touch.
25'
Defrel is picked out by a lofted through-ball from Cannavaro, but a knock-down from the Frenchman finds its way into the path of Politano - who is some way offside. Moments later, Raul Garcia stabs a pass in behind for Sabin to chase, but a well-weighted cross from the latter is headed wide of the target by Muniain.
23'
De Marcos wins a free-kick on the right-hand side, which is swept into the penalty box by Benat. San Jose and Yeray rise to meet the ball, with the former flicking a header some way wide of the far upright. All of the half chances are falling to the away side in the early stages.
21'
Cannavaro hooks another dangerous ball away from Sabin, as the lone Athletic Club frontman continues to get himself into threatening areas. Sassuolo counter down the left, but Politano overruns the ball and runs into trouble. The move ends with Mazzitelli shooting from 25 yards out, but a deflection the effort looping straight down Herrerin's throat.
19'
Biondini tracks back brilliantly to slide in and deny Muniain the opportunity to cause problems on the break, but Athletic Club continue to press forward relentlessly. De Marcos bends in a cross from the right, but Cannavaro hooks clear on this occasion. Valverde will be pleased with how his team have come out of the blocks.
17'
The visitors continue to put on all of the early pressure, with Defrel yet to be allowed to muster up an effort for Sassuolo. Balenziaga drives down the left, but Athletic Club are eventually forced to the opposite flank. De Marcos overlaps and looks to deliver a cross in from the right, but the ball rolls behind for a goal-kick. It was a bad decision, however, as it definitely took a deflection off Cannavaro.
15'
Sabin is again the target of a pass in behind the Sassuolo back four, but this time the Spaniard is caught narrowly offside. Valverde's men are controlling the tempo, with their forays forward causing far more problems. Both goalkeepers have had it easy thus far, however.
13'
Yet again, Sabin peels off his man with good movement and brings the ball down on his chest, but a hooked pass towards Raul Garcia is cut out. Balenziaga is coaxed down the elft flank moments later, but the ex-Valladolid defender's delivery sails straight out of play for a goal-kick.
11'
Ricci is picked out by an excellent crossfield ball, before sliding a neat pass into Biondini's path. The experienced midfielder tries to cut back a cross from the right byline, but loses his footing, allowing for Laporte to leave the ball for Herrerin to collect. The two combine again moments later, but a dangerous cross narrowly evades Defrel at the near post.
9'
Ricci has been the only real bright spark for Sassuolo inside the opening 10 minutes, with the wide man's neat footwork asking a few questions of Balenziaga. Magnanelli plays a neat through-ball into the path of Politano, but De Marcos does well to come across and shepherd the pass back to Herrerin. Athletic Club respond with a counter of their own, but an errant touch from Sabin Merino finds its way into Consigli's gloves.
7'
Muniain does well to win possession back for the away team, with the diminutive winger causing a few early problems down the left flank. Raul Garcia and Sabin are playing more centrally for Athletic Club at present, but the latter can only hook a terrible shot over the crossbar after being played in behind by Benat.
5'
Benat takes the set-piece from the right-hand side, but Yeray can only head wide of the right-hand post under considerable pressure from Ricci. The youngster could perhaps have worked the goalkeeper with that chance. Muniain drives down the left and slides a pass into the penlty area and towards Sabin, but Acerbi covers across to clear the danger into touch. Athletic Club win a corner, but the move ends with De Marcos shooting wildly over the bar.
3'
Ricci looks to play a neat one-two with Defrel on the edge of the penalty area, before a flicked pass out to Politano doesn't cause any trouble down the left. Eventually, Lirola lifts a long pass into the Athletic Club box, but Herrerin is quick off his line to make an easy claim. The visitors counter, but Acerbi heads a dangerous cross behind for a corner.
1'
We are underway in the first half in Italy! Athletic Club will be looking to kick on after winning their first game of the season, with Sassuolo looking to impress on a bigger stage despite having a few of their key players snapped up during the transfer window.
Athletic Club substitutes: Iraizoz, Boveda, Iturraspe, Vesga, Susaeta, Lekue, Aduriz.
Athletic Club starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Herrerin; De Marcos, Yeray, Laporte, Balenziaga; San Jose, Benat; Sabin, Raul Garcia, Muniain; Williams.
TEAM NEWS: Inaki Williams leads the line, with Aritz Aduriz given a rest on the bench. Sabin Merino and Iker Muniain will provide the threat from out wide, with Raul Garcia slotting in behind the striker. Yeray is given a chance at centre-back, with Iago Herrerin replacing Kepa in goal for the visitors.
Ernesto Valverde's men have won four out of their five last European away games, with Los Leones coming into this game high on confidence after defeating Deportivo la Coruna last time out. Sassuolo, meanwhile, have lost their last two matches, against Pescara and Juventus respectively.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Sassuolo's first ever Europa League game, with the Serie A club hosting Athletic Club, who have a good record in this competition themselves. The hosts are one of only two clubs to be playing in their inaugural continental campaign.
TEAM NEWS: Star striker Domenico Berardi is out injured for the home side, meaning that Federico Ricci gets a start in attack with Matteo Politano and Gregoire Defrel playing alongside him. Francesco Magnanelli and Davide Biondini offer experience in midfield, with Pol Lirola getting a rare start in defence.
HALF-TIME! The two sides go into the break goalless, but the visitors have broadly had the better of the game. Athletic Club have had more chances, but Sassuolo did respond with a bright 10 minutes at the end of the half. All is still to play for!
FULL-TIME! Athletic Club crash to a 3-0 defeat against Sassuolo, with the Italian club marking their first night on the European stage with a great result. Goals from Lirola, Politano and Defrel wrap up three points for the hosts, who kicked on brilliantly after a goalless first half. That's all that we have time for, we hope to see you again next time.
Commentary
More…