Sassuolo halted their eight-match winless streak with a gripping triumph, credited to Kristian Thorstvedt, while Kaio Jorge’s failure to convert a last-minute penalty for Frosinone added to the drama.
Both teams, previously positioned comfortably in mid-table, experienced a plunge into the perilous depths of the league standings, signaling crises within their ranks. Sassuolo faced adversity with the season-ending injury to Domenico Berardi during their defeat against Verona, further exacerbated by their relegation to penultimate place under the guidance of their third coach of the season, Davide Ballardini. Meanwhile, Frosinone grappled with the absence of key players such as Anthony Oyono, Abdou Harroui, Mateus Lusuardi, Riccardo Marchizza, Sergio Kalaj, and Kevin Bonifazi.
Frosinone suffered an early setback when Emanuele Valeri sustained an ankle injury, and Fares Ghedjemis narrowly missed a scoring opportunity with his angled shot striking the far post from a swiftly taken free-kick.
Armand Lauriente tested Stefano Turati with a challenging shot from an acute angle, while controversy ensued in the 55th minute as the referee initially awarded a penalty for a challenge by Kristian Thorstvedt on Luca Mazzitelli. However, a subsequent VAR review revealed Thorstvedt’s successful interception of the ball.
Shortly thereafter, Thorstvedt seized the opportunity to propel Sassuolo into the lead, exploiting the offside trap and dispatching a powerful strike into the bottom corner.
Andrea Pinamonti came close to doubling Sassuolo’s advantage, only to see his shot narrowly deflected past the post.
A misjudgment by Pol Lirola led to a missed opportunity for Sassuolo, but Frosinone earned a lifeline when the referee awarded a penalty for what appeared to be a slight push by Gian Marco Ferrari on Marvin Cuni.
Nevertheless, Kaio Jorge’s penalty struck the base of the upright in the final moments of the game, allowing Sassuolo to escape with the victory.
Sassuolo 1-0 Frosinone