(Reuters) – AC Milan were humbled 5-2 at home by lowly Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday, suffering a fourth defeat in five matches to pile pressure on manager Stefano Pioli.
The Italian champions are fourth in the standings with 38 points, one ahead of Lazio and Roma, who play later on Sunday. Sassuolo are 16th.
Sassuolo’s first goal came against the run of play after 19 minutes when Domenico Berardi sent a cross into the box and an unmarked Gregoire Defrel tapped in.
Davide Frattesi doubled the lead two minutes later when he hammered a low shot into the net.
Olivier Giroud pulled one back for Milan in the 24th minute, heading Davide Calabria’s cross into the top corner, but Berardi quickly restored Sassuolo’s two-goal lead.
Milan’s woes continued in the second half when Armand Lauriente converted a penalty two minutes after the interval and Matheus Henrique added the fifth 11 minutes from time.
Divock Origi grabbed Milan’s second goal with a well-placed strike from the edge of the box in the 81st minute.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)
