Lazio routed 10-man Sassuolo 6-2 on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, to remain at the top of the Serie A standings, maintaining a three-point lead over Inter Milan. The high-scoring fixture in Reggio Emilia featured two penalty kicks saved by Sassuolo goalkeeper Stefano Turati, alongside dramatic cup exits for Arsenal and Espanyol reported across European soccer.
The Bottom Line
- Lazio secured a decisive 6-2 victory over 10-man Sassuolo, preserving their position at the pinnacle of Serie A.
- Arsenal suffered a major League Cup upset, losing 5-3 in a penalty shootout to fourth-tier Fleetwood Town after a 1-1 draw.
- Espanyol coach Manolo González was dismissed within two hours of his team’s 4-3 extra-time Spanish Cup defeat against fourth-tier Sestao River.
Lazio Dominates Sassuolo Despite Missed Penalties
Lazio’s commanding win in Reggio Emilia cemented their place at the summit of the Italian league table, moving them three points clear of Inter Milan. Despite the lopsided 6-2 scoreline, Sassuolo goalkeeper Stefano Turati managed to stop two separate penalty kicks during the match.
ISAKSEN! La Lazio torna avanti! 💥Che partita al Mapei Stadium! 🍿#SassuoloLazio #SerieAEnilive pic.twitter.com/imlnaKhYED
The turning point arrived in the 31st minute when Sassuolo trailed 3-1. Midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt received a straight red card from referee Luca Zufferli for a dangerous tackle on Mattia Zaccagni, who avoided serious injury. Notably, Romano Floriani Mussolini—the great-grandson of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini—scored Lazio’s third goal.
Sebastiano Esposito narrowed the deficit for Sassuolo before Zaccagni struck right before halftime to restore a two-goal cushion. In the second half, Tijjani Noslin added two goals for Lazio, while Turati denied spotkicks from both Zaccagni and Davide Frattesi.
European Cup Upsets Hit Arsenal and Espanyol
While Lazio celebrated league dominance, English and Spanish clubs faced humiliating cup eliminations on Tuesday. Arsenal were ousted from the English League Cup by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town, falling 5-3 in a penalty shootout after regulation ended 1-1. Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes had a penalty saved, and 16-year-old prodigy Max Dowman was sent off in the 85th minute for kicking out at an opponent, bridging an 84-position gap in the English soccer pyramid.
Meanwhile, in the Spanish Cup, Espanyol suffered a 4-3 extra-time loss to fourth-tier Sestao River. Espanyol required a last-gasp penalty to force extra time and briefly led in the 96th minute before conceding twice, culminating in a stoppage-time winner by home defender Jon Rojo. The defeat immediately cost manager Manolo González his job, with Espanyol firing him less than two hours after the whistle.
German Cup Drama Unfolds for Leipzig and Mainz
German fixtures delivered their own share of friction and unexpected results. Prior to kickoff in the German Cup second-round match between Rot-Weiss Essen and RB Leipzig, an act of sabotage saw concrete poured around the gate to the away end at the stadium to seal it shut—it was opened well before supporters started to arrive.
On the pitch, Leipzig nearly fell victim to an upset when a defensive miscommunication allowed Lucas Brumme to score a ninth-minute goal for Essen following a poor back pass by Castello Lukeba and a slip by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Leipzig’s prospects dimmed further when midfielder Nicolas Seiwald picked up two yellow cards within ten minutes, resulting in a red card just before halftime. However, substitute Christoph Baumgartner rescued Leipzig with two late goals to secure a 2-1 victory.
Elsewhere in the German Cup, FSV Mainz 05 was eliminated following a 2-0 defeat against Bochum. SV Elversberg experienced a similar exit, losing 2-0 at home to Darmstadt.
| Fixture / Competition | Result | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Sassuolo vs. Lazio (Serie A) | 2 – 6 | Kristian Thorstvedt red card; two penalties saved by Stefano Turati. |
| Fleetwood Town vs. Arsenal (English League Cup) | 1 – 1 (5-3 pens) | Arsenal eliminated by fourth-tier Fleetwood; Max Dowman sent off. |
| Sestao River vs. Espanyol (Spanish Cup) | 4 – 3 (AET) | Espanyol coach Manolo González fired within two hours of defeat. |
| Rot-Weiss Essen vs. RB Leipzig (German Cup) | 1 – 2 | Christoph Baumgartner scores two late goals after Leipzig red card. |
| Bochum vs. Mainz (German Cup) | 2 – 0 | Mainz dumped out by second-division side. |
Chasing the Pack in Domestic Leagues
Back in Serie A action, AS Roma secured a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Cagliari thanks to two late goals, pulling within four points of league leaders Lazio. The loss marked Cagliari’s third straight defeat following a strong start to the season. Como also engineered a late surge, scoring all three of their goals after the 80th minute to defeat Torino 3-1. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund readied themselves for a top-of-the-table clash against Bayern Munich by edging Werder Bremen 3-2.
