Half-Time Report: Sassuolo level with Juventus at break

Juventus were forced to come from a goal down to go into the halfway stage of their Serie A clash with Sassuolo all square at 1-1 this evening.

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The hosts almost made a perfect start to the match when they went close to breaking the deadlock after just two minutes courtesy of a Nicola Sansone strike that went narrowly wide.

They were ahead inside 10 minutes, however, as Simone Zaza latched on to a pass down the left channel before drilling a shot past Gianluigi Buffon, who should have done better at his near post.

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Juventus set about looking to find an equaliser and threatened midway through the half as Carlos Tevez put an effort just past the post from inside the area.

Tevez was the creator for another chance moments later as he picked out Claudio Marchisio inside the area, but the midfielder was denied by a fine piece of defending.

The visitors did get their equaliser 10 minutes before the break and it was the same two involved as Marchisio slipped the ball to Tevez, who fired his shot past the keeper from the edge of the box.

Zaza had a glorious chance to restore his side's advantage with less than five minutes to go until half time when he was slipped through on goal, but Buffon stayed by to deny the striker a second.