Video: Five minutes decide the match: Milan stumble against Sassuolo
The Rossoneri squander their lead
Sassuolo held visitors Milan to a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening in the sixth round of the Italian league, denying coach Ruben Amorim the chance to take advantage of his side's opportunity to move up to third place in Serie A.
Adrien Rabiot put Milan ahead in the 63rd minute. Oudentaal levelled for Sassuolo five minutes later, and the sides shared the points.
Milan climb to 12 points in fourth, while Sassuolo sit on eight in tenth.
Repeated stoppages for injuries disrupted the first half, which finished goalless despite attempts from both sides.
Sassuolo were the more active in the opening minutes. Milan needed some time to impose their control on the ball.
In the 18th minute, Matteo Gabbia suffered an injury that forced him off the pitch on a stretcher, with Koni De Winter coming on in his place in the 20th minute. Six minutes later, Sassuolo were in turn forced into an early change after Fadera Lisen went off injured, with Kass Oudentaal coming on in his place.
Rabiot nearly broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, heading over the bar. Sassuolo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric then shone late in the half, denying Gonzalo Ramos twice from dangerous positions before clearing a Strahinja Pavlovic header in added time.
At the start of the second half, Amorim brought on Luka Modric in place of Pervis Estupinan in an attempt to energise the midfield.
More Milan pressure followed, and the breakthrough arrived in the 63rd minute. Modric slipped the ball to Rabiot, who lashed it from a tight angle inside the penalty area into the roof of the net.
The visitors' joy did not last long. Oudentaal brought the match back to square one in the 68th minute, following up a ball that reached him from a corner taken by Armand Lauriente and a touch from Josh Doig, firing from close range, with the ball changing direction after striking one of the defenders before settling in the net.
Both sides carved out chances after the equaliser, most notably Domenico Berardi firing over the bar, while Mike Maignan saved two dangerous Sassuolo attempts in the 65th minute.
The referee also ruled out a goal for the hosts in the 88th minute, after blowing his whistle for infringements inside the penalty area. Nothing changed in the minutes that remained, and the final whistle confirmed the draw.
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