Torino 0-1 Sassuolo: Floro Flores Floors Misfiring Granata
Torino were made to pay for a missed first half penalty when they fell to a late 1-0 loss at home to Sassuolo that sees the Neroverdi jump into the top half.
A terrible spot kick from Juan Sanchez Mino looked like it would only be punished with the home side dropping two points but a late header from substitute Antonio Floro Floresstunned the hosts.
The home side were bright in the early going but, being the second most goal-shy team in the division, struggled to create much in the way of significant openings with their first chance not arriving until the 15-minute mark.
It was down to the intelligence of the outstanding Matteo Darmian, a constant thorn in the side of Sassuolo down the left, cut the ball back for Omar El Kaddouri whose stinging drive was a little too close to Andrea Consigli and he punched clear.
However, for a team who struggle to hit the back of the net, they were given the perfect opportunity to do so on 28 minutes. Bruno Peres drove into the area and down to the byline before cutting the ball back for Fabio Quagliarella who was dragged to the ground by Fabio Cannavaro as he looked to make something happen and Nicola Rizzoli pointed to the penalty spot.
Sanchez Mino, yet to score since his summer arrival from Boca Juniors, looked to make himself a fan favourite when he stepped up to take it but he joined Marcelo Larrondo and El Kaddouri on the infamous list of players to have missed a penalty for the Granata this season when his tame effort was easily kept out by Consigli.
Quite why Quagliarella himself, having won the kick and scored twice from the spot in the Europa League this season, did not take the kick will be a question many fans inside the Olimpico will have been asking.
Domenico Berardi, after a quiet first half, blasted one at goal that Jean-Francois Gillet managed to keep out in a somewhat unconvincing manner as both sides probed for the goal that could potentially lift them out of the bottom half.
Simone Zaza was next to try with an ambitious long range effort moments later than the Belgian goalkeeper collected much more comfortably on this occasion.
The home side remained threatening sporadically as the half wore on and Peres was guilty of being too selfless when he raced in on goal and tried to square it for Quagliarella, allowing Sime Vrsaljko to get back and block.
With half an hour remaining, the Neroverdi missed the chance they had been waiting on as Toro once again lost possession, letting Berardi in on goal. His shot was cleared off the line by Nikola Maksimovic but only into the path of the incoming Zaza who snatched at his chance with no goalkeeper in sight and blasted wide.
Quagliarella was denied at the other end following a superb run and pass from El Kaddouri as the game began to open up while Gillet denied Nicola Sansone as you began to get the sense a goal was on the horizon.
That proved to be the case with four minutes of normal time left when Floro Flores rose highest in a crowded penalty box to thump home a header from a right flank cross as his side extended their unbeaten run to six games.
