Sassuolo cruised into the next round of the Coppa Italia with a composed 3-0 victory over Cesena at the Mapei Stadium on the night of 18 August 2026. The Neroverdi controlled the tie from start to finish, delivering a professional performance against a Cesena side that struggled to find any rhythm away from home.

Match Overview

Playing in the early rounds of Italy’s oldest knockout competition, Sassuolo made their superiority count. After a bright opening spell from the Serie B visitors, the home side gradually took control of possession and began to carve open the Cesena defence with patient passing moves. The breakthrough arrived before the interval, giving the hosts a deserved lead that they never looked like surrendering.

Key Moments

• First goal: Sassuolo broke the deadlock midway through the first half with a well-worked move down the right, finished calmly from inside the box after a defence-splitting pass.
• Second goal: The Neroverdi doubled their advantage shortly after the restart, capitalising on a defensive error to score from a tight angle.
• Third goal: A late third, struck from the edge of the area, put the result beyond any doubt and rounded off a dominant display.

Tactical Story

Sassuolo’s midfield dictated the tempo throughout, with their attacking full-backs pushing high to pin Cesena back. The visitors attempted to hit on the counter-attack but lacked the final pass in the attacking third. Cesena’s best chance came shortly before half-time when a quick break forced a sharp save from the Sassuolo goalkeeper, but it proved to be a rare moment of danger.

Standout Performances

The Sassuolo front line caused constant problems, particularly the left winger, who created two of the three goals with his direct running. At the back, the centre-back pairing were rarely troubled, while the midfield anchor provided the platform with a high passing accuracy. Cesena’s goalkeeper made several solid saves to keep the score respectable, but he had little protection from the defence in front of him.

What It Means

With this comfortable three-goal win, Sassuolo advance to the next stage of the Coppa Italia and will look to build momentum in the competition. For Cesena, the focus now shifts back to their league campaign, with the cup serving as a reminder of the gap between the two levels.