Modena, August 17, 2026 – The premise (‘it’s August football’) is that, and as such we record it. But it is also right to note what the ‘new’ Sassuolo of Aquilani follows the premise with, beating without ifs or buts a Cesena that its coach Diamanti had hoped to be ‘troublesome’. Instead of troubles, the neroverdi created very few, and only when Sassuolo, in the very early moments of the second half, took a breather, ‘sitting down’ for a few minutes on the double lead achieved at 45’. Too much quality difference on the field, which the neroverde coach amplifies by drawing mainly on Laurientè and Volpato on the wings and a midfield (Adzic, Matic, Bakola) much more about control than fight. Neither Thorstvedt nor Pinamonti are present, both held hostage by the market, but in the neroverde 4-3-3 there is everything needed to go beyond a Cesena also penalized by the withdrawal, after less than 5’, of Piacentini, but excluded from the game as soon as Aquilani’s ‘soloists’ found their distances. Volpato at 13’ shifts the momentum of the match, and if Cesena tries something with Pagano and Guidi, Sassuolo wastes, before finding the second goal with Adzic in injury time, plenty of chances. Bowie tries three times – not a bad debut for the Scot – a header from Cinquegrano, a couple of shots from Bakola are stopped by Siano and when the goalkeeper is not there, on the Cesena goal line there is Ciofi who sacrifices himself on Laurientè. To say that the 2-0 at halftime perhaps punishes a well-organized and at times proactive Cesena beyond its faults, but it’s all fair. And it guarantees the neroverdi, who however drop too deep. Also because the Cesena at the start of the second half has chances, with Druiventak, Bisoli, Ciofi and Guidi but does not capitalize on them, leaving Muric’s goal untouched – which is also news, in its own way. For Sassuolo, instead, the ‘usual’ intuition on the Laurientè-Bakola axis is enough to exalt Lipani who triples at 75’ and extends Sassuolo’s lead, to which in the meantime Aquilani had also added another debutant, Dominguez. The summary? The neroverdi did what they had to and while waiting for Frosinone (next Cup opponent) but above all the debut in Bergamo, now they pass the ball to the market: if yesterday’s lineup made Pinamonti and Thorstvedt increasingly distant, rumors tell of a possible, further, push for the Belgian Leysen but above all Rafik Belghali very close, defender from Verona also much followed by Torino, against whom the neroverdi would however be ahead.
The scorecard
Sassuolo 3
Cesena 0
SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Muric; Cinquegrano (37’ 2nd half Missori), Odenthal, Macchioni (37’ 2nd half Di Bitonto), Doig; Adzic (27’ 2nd half Lipani), Matic (20’ 2nd half Ghion), Bakola; Volpato, Bowie (20 2nd half Dominguez), Laurienté. Coach Aquilani (Turati, Nyarko, Idzes, Obrador, Ciervo, Nuamah, Iannoni, Pierini, Kulla, Moro)
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CESENA (4-3-3): Siano; Ciofi, Piacentini (6’ 1st half Ilic), Mangraviti, David; Guidi (23’ 2nd half Schirone), Bisoli, Pagano (23’ 2nd half Francesconi); Druiventak, Shpendi (38’ 2nd half Debenedetti), Caprini (1’ 2nd half Fiori). Coach Diamanti (Fontana, Mazzi, Natta, Casadei E, Casadei M., Magni, Bertaccini)
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Referee: Turrini from Florence (Ricci, Pistarelli, q.u. Sozza)
Goals: 13’ 1st half Volpato, 47’ 1st half Adzic, 30’ 2nd half Lipani
Notes: booked David, Francesconi, injury time 3’ and 3’
