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

MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 18: Gustavo Varela of Monza celebrates after scoring the opening 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 Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Varela 52, pen 63 (M), Adzic 88 (S)

1st half

2nd half

Gustavo Varela (Assist: Samuele Birindelli)		51'
Gustavo Varela		63'
Michael Folorunsho		74'
Samuele Birindelli		85'
		85'		Luca Lipani
		88'		Vasilije Adžić

MON

SAS

Goalkeeper

44

Defender

60

Defender

3

Defender

7

Defender

56'

19

Defender

14

Midfielder

56'

90

Midfielder

9

Attacker

46

Attacker

82'

10

Attacker

56'

49

Goalkeeper

15

Defender

16

Defender

3

Defender

46

Defender

50

Midfielder

82'

42

Midfielder

64'

18

Midfielder

64'

45

Attacker

10

Attacker

72'

94

Attacker

72'

20

Goalkeeper

28

Midfielder

6

Defender

21

Midfielder

Attacker

11

Attacker

Defender

Attacker

43

Goalkeeper

5

Defender

47

Attacker

56'

24

Defender

56'

8

Midfielder

56'

80

Attacker

82'

12

Goalkeeper

80

Goalkeeper

8

Defender

77

Attacker

20

Defender

55