Chievo fell to a seventh consecutive defeat, as Sassuolo didn’t even have to perform particularly well to pick up the points.
The hosts were increasingly desperate after six straight defeats, losing all three games under new Coach Giampiero Ventura. Fabrizio Cacciatore, Nenad Tomovic and Federico Barba missed out, with Joel Obi standing in for not 100 per cent fit Perparim Hetemaj. Sassuolo had to do without Khouma Babacar, Jeremie Boga and Bourabia, but Kevin-Prince Boateng was back in the starting XI.
Domenico Berardi’s free kick curled over and he skimmed the upright on a deflected Federico Di Francesco cross.
Sassuolo did break through just before half-time, as Boateng and Berardi combined, the through ball allowing Di Francesco to squirm between defenders and place his angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Boateng pounced on a poor clearance only to drill wide and Stefano Sensi also fired off target on the counter, sent clear by Manuel Locatelli’s through ball.
It was a chaotic finale at the Stadio Bentegodi. Chievo went down to 10 men, as substitute Strahinja Tanasijevic managed to get two yellow cards in the space of five minutes.
Nonetheless, the hosts poured forward and almost equalised twice, as Mariusz Stepinski’s control and volley was charged down by a desperate Magnani, then his header on Riccardo Meggiorini’s cross skimmed the upright.
However, Sassuolo went on the counter, Sorrentino parried a Berardi attempt from close range and Emanuele Giaccherini tried to chest it back to his goalkeeper – not realising he was down on the ground and couldn’t get to it, so the ball went into the net.