Dovbyk Saves Bologna; Sassuolo Equalizes at 2-2 in the 91st Minute

The Emilia derby between Bologna and Sassuolo, part of the third matchday of Serie A, ended in a 2-2 draw. It was a wild game at the Dall’Ara: the Neroverdi took the lead twice, but the home team scored the equalizer in the 91st minute thanks to Dovbyk.

Doig broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. The Scot capitalized on Cinquegrano’s persistence on the opposite flank and beat Skorupski with a precise left-footed strike, putting Sassuolo ahead. Bologna tried to respond but also had to deal with Volpato’s muscle injury, which forced him off the field. Late in the first half, Alhassane had a great chance to make it 1-1 but failed to convert Bernardeschi’s excellent cross with a header.

The Rossoblù equalizer came early in the second half, however. In the 50th minute, Piccoli scored his first goal in his new jersey, rising highest on a corner kick taken by Miranda to level the match. The tie lasted just six minutes. In the 56th minute, Adzic put Sassuolo back in front after managing to get past Heggem and find the winning finish. Aquilani’s team seemed on the verge of a major upset, but Bologna didn’t give up and found the decisive strike in the closing moments.

In the 91st minute, Dovbyk scored the 2-2 equalizer—his first goal in a Bologna jersey—giving Tedesco (who was sent off in the closing minutes) his first point since taking over as coach of the Rossoblù. It was a bitter disappointment for Aquilani, who saw the victory slip away in stoppage time, though he can take solace in the team’s fourth point of the league season.