Domenico Berardi marked his return to Sassuolo’s starting lineup in perfect fashion, scoring once and provoking an own goal as the Neroverdi claimed a convincing 3-1 away victory over bottom-placed Pisa.
Pisa, rooted to the foot of the table, were already weakened by the suspension of Arturo Calabresi and the absence of head coach Alberto Gilardino.
They were further stretched by the unavailability of Adrian Semper, Raul Albiol, Daniel Denoon, Juan Cuadrado and Mateus Lusuardi following a heavy 6-2 defeat to Inter.
Sassuolo, comfortably positioned in mid-table, were also without Fali Candé, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo, but welcomed Berardi back into the XI for his first start since November 28.
The hosts thought they had taken an early lead inside four minutes when Antonio Caracciolo’s cross was turned goalwards, but debutant Rosen Bozhinov was flagged offside after nodding the ball back across goal.
Pisa continued to threaten, with Michael Aebischer curling narrowly wide and Armand Laurienté forcing Simone Scuffet into a sharp save from an acute angle.
However, it was Sassuolo who struck first with a swift counter-attack. Berardi surged down the right flank and finished brilliantly from a tight angle, rifling a right-footed effort into the roof of the net for his first goal since November 9.
The winger remained a constant menace, volleying wide from Laurienté’s delivery before firing just over the bar when Kristjan Thorstvedt failed to release him at the right moment.
At the other end, Arijanet Muric struggled with a cross but recovered to deny Stefano Moreo, while Scuffet raced off his line to thwart Ismael Koné from close range.
Sassuolo doubled their advantage from a corner, as Berardi’s whipped cross-shot took a decisive touch off Caracciolo and looped into the Pisa net for an unfortunate own goal.
A triple substitution at the interval injected some urgency into the home side, with Mehdi Léris immediately testing Muric.
Pisa finally pulled one back when Rafia Durosinmi laid the ball off on the edge of the box and Aebischer thundered a superb strike into the top corner.
Momentum almost swung moments later, but Jay Idzes produced a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Léris after Muric had been beaten.
Berardi continued to probe on the break, forcing Scuffet into a save at his near post, before Sassuolo restored their two-goal cushion. Nemanja Matić broke down the right and squared for Koné, who swept home first time from 12 yards.
Late drama followed when Berardi slipped Laurienté through and Tramoni brought him down, but VAR ruled the contact occurred just outside the area.
Andrea Pinamonti then headed narrowly over, while Matić narrowly missed with a long-range effort.
Muric later collided with Durosinmi as the striker chased a long ball, but Sassuolo’s goalkeeper escaped a red card after VAR confirmed the Pisa forward was marginally offside.
Durosinmi had one final chance late on, yet glanced his header well wide from six yards as Sassuolo comfortably saw out the victory.
