Serie A | Monza 2-1 Sassuolo: Varela double to enjoy first win

Serie A | Monza 2-1 Sassuolo: Varela double to enjoy first win Monza celebrated their first Serie A victory of the season thanks to a Gustavo Varela brace, as Sassuolo stumbled despite the late Vasilije Adzic free kick. Ivan Juric was feeling the pressure after just one point from four rounds, missing Patrick Ciurria, Jan Ziolkowski and Matteo Pessina, but recovering Ricardo Mangas from an ankle knock and giving Noel Tornqvist his debut on loan from Como. The Neroverdi had seven points from the last three games, including a 3-2 victory over Juventus , but Jay Idzes joined Cristian Volpato, Sebastian Walukiewicz, Daniel Boloca, Fali Candé and Ismael Koné on the treatment table. MONZA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 18: Domenico Berardi of Sassuolo in action during the Serie A match between AC Monza and US Sassuolo at U-Power Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) The hosts had an aggressive start, a double ricochet preventing Jay Robinson from turning in the Patrick Cutrone assist during the opening minute. Debutant Noel Tornqvist had to make a desperate save on Domenico Berardi from point-bank range, meeting the Armand Laurienté cross from the left. Tornqvist also had to make the difficult save on Darryl Bakola from a tricky angle, then rushed off his line to deny Kristian Thorstvedt after an inspired Sebastiano Esposito back-heel flick. The goalkeeper, already sporting a protective helmet due to a previous injury, was glad of that after accidentally getting a shin in the forehead. MONZA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 18: Kristian Thorstvedt of Sassuolo and Noel Tornqvist of Monza in action during the Serie A match between AC Monza and US Sassuolo at U-Power Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Cutrone hesitated before finishing off a Gustavo Varela pass and was robbed when pulling the trigger, then after the restart saw his low drive fingertipped round the near post. Monza scored on the resulting corner, as Arijanet Muric let the Varela header squirm through his fingers from six yards, a real howler from the Sassuolo goalkeeper who seemed to have the ball fully under control. MONZA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 18: Gustavo Varela of AC Monza scores his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AC Monza and US Sassuolo at U-Power Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Sassuolo were undone by another corner, as Dany Mota Carvalho was brought down clumsily by Esposito for a penalty, converted by Varela to complete his brace. Vasilije Adzic fired just over after good work from Josh Doig, but it was so nearly 3-0 when Samuele Birindelli’s angled drive flashed across the face of goal to skim the far post. MONZA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 18: Gustavo Varela of AC Monza scores his team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the Serie A match between AC Monza and US Sassuolo at U-Power Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Adzic scored the last-gasp winner against Juventus, and this time he curled a powerful right-footed free kick into the far top corner and gave Sassuolo hope late on. Once again, the goalkeeper seemed to be at fault, positioning the wall incorrectly and leaving himself unsighted. Sassuolo were inches away from an equaliser in stoppages, as Kieron Bowie’s header from an Adzic cross bounced off the top of the far post with Tornqvist able only to watch and hope. Monza 2-1 Sassuolo Varela 52, pen 63 (M), Adzic 88 (S)