AC Milan emerged victors on a dramatic evening at San Siro as they topped Sassuolo 4-3 thanks to an amazing second half turnaround.
The visitors had raced out to a 3-1 lead with just over 20 minutes to go, but goals from Carlos Bacca, Manuel Locatelli and Gabriel Paletta kept the points in Milan.
Giacomo Bonaventura’s ninth minute deflected strike ensured the perfect start for Vincenzo Montella’s men, with the Rossoneri number five driving at the Neroverdi defence before his shot from 20 yards wrong-footed the ‘keeper.
Sassuolo responded almost instantly however through Matteo Politano, though in truth it was Ignazio Abate who gifted the goal, as his slack pass allowed the forward to latch on before slotting under Gianluigi Donnarumma.
It was more fatal defending that cost the home side early in the second half as Sassuolo’s Francesco Acerbi was allowed a free header from close range to give the visitors a lead.
Lorenzo Pellegrini added a third soon after, with the midfielder leaving Gustavo Gomez for dead inside the area before calmly slotting home to stun the San Siro crowd.
M’Baye Niang’s enterprising run gave Milan hope as he was tripped inside the box, allowing Bacca to step up and convert the penalty, sending Andrea Consigli the wrong way.
There was then an emotional moment when Milan equalised, as a croner fell to academy graduate Manuel Locatelli, who struck sweetly into the top left corner for his first ever Serie A game.
The turnaround was complete when Paletta swooped in at the far post to power a wonderful header past Consigli from Niang’s cross, sparking jubilant scenes.
