Juventus suffer 4-2 defeat at Sassuolo after Szczesny blunders

SASSUOLO, Italy: Juventus' unbeaten start to the season ended with a 4-2 loss at Sassuolo after Wojciech Szczesny's goalkeeping errors contributed to their defeat in Serie A on Saturday (Sep 23).

The Polish international suffered a howler after 12 minutes when Armand Lauriente's long-range shot deflected off Szczesny's gloves and into the net.

Eight minutes from time Szczesny inadvertently parried a rebound into the path of Andrea Pinamont, who headed home to make it 3-2 to Sassuolo.

Juve's nightmare was complete five minutes into stoppage time when defender Federico Gatti, seemingly unaware that Szczesny was off his line after taking a free kick near the corner flag, inadvertently tapped the ball into his own goal.

The defeat leaves Juventus in fourth place on 10 points from five games, two points behind leaders Inter Milan, who visit Empoli on Sunday, and second-placed AC Milan, who beat Hellas Verona 1-0. Sassuolo are 11th on six points.

"It was the first defeat, we must learn from it. We were not phenomenal before this game, just as we are not awful after it," Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri told DAZN.

"We had our heads in the clouds with the butterflies, it had started well and there were some fairly simple situations we didn’t make the most of.

"We conceded at their first attempt and rather lost our heads, so we paid for that."

Juve had first equalised after 21 minutes when Sassuolo defender Matias Vina inadvertently poked the ball into his own net from close range while attempting to clear a cross.

The hosts reclaimed the lead four minutes before halftime through Domenico Berardi who calmly slotted the ball into the far bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Juve started the second half positively with Federico Chiesa