Sassuolo 0-0 Atalanta

Sassuolo missed the chance to climb into the top half of the Serie A table after being held to a frustrating goalless draw by Atalanta at the Mapei Stadium.Domenico Berardi ought to have put one of his numerous opportunities away in the first half while shot-shy Atalanta grew into the game after the break and could have nicked all three points through Cristian Raimondi at the death.The draw does mean Sassuolo extend their unbeaten run to a fifth game but Atalanta could have benefited from a better result as they sit only three points clear of the relegation zone.Berardi was the first man to test his aim as he fired a daisy-cutter towards Marco Sportiello, who blocked without difficulty.Atalanta first managed to break into the Sassuolo box in the 21st minute and, after Maxi Moralez fed Giulio Migliaccio, the midfielder's left-footed effort was deflected just over the crossbar and onto the netting by the sliding Federico Peluso.The Neroverdi hit back immediately and Berardi was unlucky to miss the target again when attempting to convert Nicola Sansone's rebounding drive. Moralez had fallen back to cover the Atalanta defence and did just enough to knock Berardi off his stride.Sassuolo should have taken a one-goal lead into the break but Sportiello made an instinctive save on Berardi's snapshot after the on-loan Juventus striker had rushed forward to connect with Paolo Cannavaro's clever through ball. The determined hosts picked up where they had left off when play resumed and Sansone soon made a good run to reach Sime Vrsaljko's cross, only to head the ball just over.Salvatore Molina went very close with a shot on the turn as Atalanta steadily pushed their opponents back and, in the 73rd minute, they almost scored.When Molina's cross from the left sailed into the box Raimondi jumped higher than Peluso but his header clattered against a post with goalkeeper Andrea Consigli rooted to the spot.Sassuolo may have dominated the encounter yet the final moments belonged to Atalanta, who sensed blood in the water as time ticked away.Daniele Baselli's free-kick fell to Raimondi on the edge of the area and the ball only skipped wide of the mark because substitute Antonio Floro Flores had put his body on the line to preserve the draw.ends