Bottom two clubs draw as Serie A relegation looms for Salernitana and Sassuolo
Sassuolo's Armand Lauriente, background centre, celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Sassuolo at the Arechi Stadium in Salerno, Italy, Friday April 5 , 2024. Credit: AP/Alessandro Garofalo
ROME — Sassuolo’s hopes of avoiding relegation from Serie A were dealt a blow in stoppage time when it gave up a two-goal lead and drew with bottom-of-the-table Salernitana 2-2 on Friday.
Sassuolo started the night second from bottom and took a two-goal lead thanks largely to Albanian winger Nedim Bajrami.
Armand Laurienté converted Bajrami's pass to make it 1-0 after 37 minutes and Bajrami then doubled their lead on halftime.
Antonio Candreva got one back from the penalty spot for Salernitana in the 57th but just when it looked like Sassuolo would take all three points and move out of the relegation zone Giulio Maggiore equalized.
His strike in the first minute of stoppage time gave Salernitana only its 15th point and its first in four games.
It remained on the bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of Sassuolo, and with only seven games remaining almost certain of relegation.
Sassuolo has 25 points, equal with Frosinone and Empoli, both of whom have a game in hand.
Sassuolo's Armand Lauriente, left, scores their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Sassuolo at the Arechi Stadium in Salerno, Italy, Friday April 5 , 2024. Credit: AP/Alessandro Garofalo
Empoli is at Torino on Saturday, and Frosinone welcomes Bologna 24 hours later.
