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Friendlies: Toon frustrate Samp Sunday 5 August, 2007

Vincenzo Montella hit the woodwork as Sampdoria were unfortunate to lose 1-0 in a friendly at Newcastle United.

The Blucerchiati have already played competitive matches this season, eliminating Cherno More Varna from the Intertoto Cup 2-0 on aggregate.

They continued their preparation for the upcoming UEFA Cup second qualifying round clash with Hadjuk Split by playing this friendly at St James’ Park.

Former Fulham striker Montella was given a rare start to help gain match fitness, while Mark Viduka and Alan Smith both made their Toon debuts.

The Sampdoria shirt may well be reviving Montella, as he forced a difficult tackle out of David Rozenhal and moments later only a wonderful one-handed reaction save from Shay Given denied him the opening goal.

Ex-Chievo midfielder Paolo Sammarco skimmed the upright from distance and Gennaro Delvecchio (pictured) also caused problems as the Blucerchiati dominated the early stages.

Montella would have given the Italians the lead on 13 minutes when he pounced on a Charles N’Zogbia error, but the linesman flagged him offside.

Newcastle only really started to make an impact after 24 minutes, as Antonio Mirante rushed out to clear Smith’s flick towards Viduka.

The Australian fired just over, but Montella went even closer on the stroke of half-time with his marvellous volley clipping the crossbar.

Former Inter starlet Obafemi Martins came on for the second half, but Samp continued to have the better of the game and Rozenhal flung himself at Salvatore Foti’s strike to deny the youngster.

Smith had a goal disallowed for a tight offside decision, but Steve Harper had to work overtime with a fingertip save on Delvecchio’s looping header from a Hugo Campagnaro cross.

Martins wanted a penalty for his collision with Mirante and Newcastle broke through against the run of play soon after. Smith soared above the defence to nod Geremi’s corner into the net, but Samp should have marked the striker more closely.

Montella lasted 75 minutes, so he is well on the way to rediscovering his match fitness after several seasons blighted by injury.

Christian Maggio and N’Zgobia had free kicks palmed away, though Samp were very unlucky not to grab an equaliser in the final minute when Claudio Bellucci burned a hole in Harper’s gloves with a 20-yard screamer.

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