Sassuolo will take on Atalanta in the Coppa Italia Round of 32, but they needed extra time and a penalty shoot-out to get past Spezia.
The Serie B side threatened to take the lead in the opening minute when a cross-field pass found Tio Cipot, but he fired wide of the open goal as Alessio Cragno came flying out to narrow the angle.
Giovanni Corradini also threatened from a cleared set play, but Sassuolo grew into the game after that sluggish start, Samuele Mulattieri hitting the side-netting after good work from Samu Castillejo, then the ex-Milan winger tested Jeroen Zoet himself.
Gregoire Defrel should’ve done better for Sassuolo with a chest and volley that flashed inches wide, as did Castillejo moments later.
Defrel went close again after the restart, this time a deflection taking the finish off target, while Cristian Volpato and Mulattieri had chances too.
However, Spezia almost won it at the 75th minute when Joao Moutinho’s cross found Rachid Kouda for a control and strike that Cragno flew to fingertip over from close range.
Armand Lauriente was greedy on the counter-attack, going for goal rather than assisting to two different teammates who were screaming for the ball.
Cragno used his legs to parry another Cipot effort and as the move continued, Kouda had the ball in the back of the net, but only after wandering offside.
Kouda forced another save from Cragno, but they went to extra time.
Zoet was the one who had to make a stunning save on Andrea Pinamonti’s angled drive, then Nedim Bajrami to take the tie to penalties.
Cragno used his feet to deny Luca Moro and that proved the only penalty not to be converted.
Sassuolo 0-0 Spezia (aet, 5-4 pens)
Penalties: Kouda (Sp, goal), Berardi (Sa, goal), Moro (Sp, saved), Pinamonti (Sa, goal), Candelari (Sp, goal), Bajrami (Sa, goal), Nikolaou (Sp, goal), Thorstvedt (Sa, goal), S Esposito (Sp, goal), Lauriente (Sa, goal)
Player statistic
| Cristian Volpato |  |
24' | ||
| 35' | |
Raimonds Krollis |
| 70' | |
Niccolò Pietra | ||
| Domenico Berardi | |
82' | ||
| Uros Racic | |
90+1' |
| 105+1' | |
Pietro Calzolari | ||
| 107' | |
Petko Hristov |
Match statistic
