Matteo Politano's goal on the stroke of half time has given Sassuolo a 2-1 lead against Roma in their Serie A match this afternoon.

The Giallorossi made a dominant start to the match, but it was the visitors who almost took the lead when Gregoire Defrel saw his low strike from inside the box deflect narrowly wide of the target.

Sassuolo had another chance moments later when Alfred Duncan worked some space on the edge of the box and fired an effort the wrong side of the post.

The visitors then stunned the Stadio Olimpico by taking the lead at the midway point of the first half as Defrel drove through the midfield and shifted the ball onto his left foot, before drilling a low strike into the bottom corner.

Miralem Pjanic soon had the chance to draw Roma level, but after racing through on goal the Bosnian placed his low attempt straight at Andrea Consigli.

The hosts did mange to find the net in the 36th minute as Francesco Totti was slipped through the middle by Pjanic and slotted an effort into the corner for his 300th Roma goal.

Within minutes Mohamed Salah almost gave Roma the lead when he burst clear of the defence and fired in a low strike that Consigli turned behind for a corner.

However, in the last minute of the first half Sassuolo restored their lead as Politano raced onto a pass from Antonio Floro Flores and guided a low strike across the keeper and into the far corner.