Pescara vs Sassuolo
2016/17 Italian Serie A.
Date: Sunday, 22 January 2017
Kick-Off: 14:00 UK,
Venue: Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia (Pescara)
Pescara, last season's fourth-place finishers in the Serie B, has been struggling all season in the Italian top flight as they were able to earn only one win so far in 19 games. The team is in the bottom of the 20-team league table at the moment.
The Delfini is coming off a 1-3 thrashing in the hands of powerhouse squad Napoli on the road at the San Paolo Stadium last Sunday, as per SB Nation.
Head coach Massimo Oddo's squad was able to hold Napoli to a goalless first half, but the Partenopei suddenly came alive after the restart with two goals in the first four minutes of the second half.
Italian defender Lorenzo Tonelli finally broke the game's deadlock in the 47th minute for Napoli before team captain Marek Hamsik doubled the hosts' lead in the 49th.
Belgian forward Dries Mertens made it a 3-0 count in the 85th minute with a close-range left-footed shot off an assist by Brazilian midfielder Allan.
Pescara netted a consolation goal in stoppage time with a successful penalty kick by forward Gianluca Caprari off a foul by Napoli defender Elseid Hysaj.
Meanwhile, Sassuolo snapped a four-game winless slide after they routed another bottom three team, Palermo, 4-1, at their home ground of Mapei Stadium-Città del Tricolore last Sunday, via Sporting Life.
After Palermo forward Robin Quaison opened the scoring in the eighth minute for the visitors, I Neroverdi then began to complete their four-goal haul with a 15th-minute equalizer by Alessandro Matri.
Antonino Ragusa doubled the lead in the 24th minute before Matri scored another goal in the 66th to make it a 3-1 count. Italian striker Matteo Politano netted in the 83rd to finalize the count.
Sassuolo is now in the 16th place in the overall standings.
Pescara vs Sassuolo: Head-to-head statistics
Pescara have a record of W1-D5-L14 in their past 20 home games against teams ranked above them in the table.
Sassuolo have a record of W10-D5-L5 in their past 20 away games against teams ranked below them in the table.
Pescara are winless in their last 37 Serie A matches.
The Delfini have failed to score in 5 of their last 7 home matches.
Sassuolo have failed to win their last 9 away matches.
Pescara have collected only four points in their last 18 Serie A home games (W0 D4 L14).
Pescara vs Sassuolo: Prediction
This is a must-win for Sassuolo, who lost to Serie B side Cesena in the Coppa Italia. Although they are not doing well in the league, the Neroverdi now consider themselves a top tier side (having been in Serie A since 2013) and surely losing to the Sea Horses will have been another bitter blow in a miserable season.
They have a comfortable gap between themselves and the bottom three, but can certainly rebound after their midweek defeat with a much needed victory here. Pescara have earned a measly four points from their last 18 home games and may rattle them a bit but the Neroverdi should get all three points here.
Pescara vs Sassuolo: Betting tips
Over 2.5 goals at 4/5 (1.80)
Sassuolo – WIN at 11/8 (2.38).
