MILAN: Nineteen-year-old forward Domenico Berardi scored four quickfire goals to give Sassuolo a 4-3 win over AC Milan on Sunday after they overturned an early two-goal deficit against the seven-times European champions.

Berardi became the first player in Serie A’s 85-year history to score four goals against Milan in a league match as he wrote another chapter in their miserable season.

Milan’s defeat, against a team who had not scored in their previous five league games, left them languishing in 12th place in Serie A.

Berardi, a lanky striker with a fiery temper, had not even played organized football until he was 16. His fortunes changed when he visited his brother at university, took part in a match and was pointed out to a Sassuolo youth-team coach.

Having turned professional in 2012, he helped Sassuolo out of Serie B last season as they reached the top flight for the first time, and was bought by Juventus who then loaned him back.

Milan, who have won only five league games all season, looked to be cruising after Robinho and Mario Balotelli put them two goals ahead after 13 minutes.

Berardi began Sassuolo’s fightback in the 15th minute when he rounded Christian Abbiati to score from a narrow angle. He levelled with a clever half-volley in the 28th minute and completed his hat-trick just before the break when he got between two defenders to fire past Abbiati.

Straight after the re-start, Berardi struck again with a deflected shot to become the first player to score four goals against Milan in Serie A.

Milan dominated the final half hour and Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda hit the crossbar after coming on in the second half for his debut.

They hit the woodwork three times, repeatedly appealed for penalties and pulled one goal back through Riccardo Montolivo, but they could not force an equalizer despite five minutes of stoppage time.

Allegri sacked

Massimiliano Allegri became the seventh coaching casualty of the Serie A season when he was sacked by the Italian giants on Monday.

Allegri was dismissed a day after a 4-3 league defeat to league newcomers Sassuolo, which left the seven-time European champions 30 points adrift of leaders Juventus.

Last week Stefano Pioli was sacked as coach of Bologna and replaced by Davide Ballardini while at the turn of the year Edoardo Reja took over from sacked Lazio coach Vladimir Petkovic.

The first coach fired this season was Fabio Liverani, who was replaced at Genoa by Gian Piero Gasperini at the end of September.

Barely a month later Rolando Maran was shown the door by Catania following defeat to fellow strugglers Cagliari and replaced by Luigi De Canio.

Delio Rossi was then relieved of his duties as coach of struggling Sampdoria and replaced by former Serbia coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, while Giuseppe Sannino was sacked as coach of Chievo and replaced by Eugenio Corini.