U.C. SAMPDORIA

[Diabolico]

FT Sampdoria 3-1 Messina.

A shame about Messina having practically no hope of avoiding relegation now. I like them. They're the side you hope your difficult opponents face right before they face you, so the many bruises Messina dealt them will still be fresh.

Guess they'll be bruising in Serie B next season... tough luck.

[Forza_Roma]

Serie A Week 33 - 22/4/07 (17.00 UK)

Sampdoria 3 - 1 Messina
Ziegler 13 (S), Rigano' 54 (M), Franceschini 83 (S), Delvecchio 89 (S)
Stadio Ferraris

Messina have a foot in Serie B after their 3-1 defeat to Sampdoria in Genoa.

The Sicilians could not afford another setback after five straight defeats, while Samp risked losing the race for a UEFA Cup spot. The home side had Francesco Flachi and Fabio Quagliarella suspended, while Emiliano Bonazzoli was sidelined, leaving precious few options in attack. Messina had even worse disciplinary problems, as Nicholas Caglioni, Alessandro Parisi, Manolo Pestrin, Enrico Morello and Roberto D'Aversa sat out bans.

It was a bad start for Messina, as after 13 minutes Ziegler's free kick was charged down, but the ball came back out to the Swiss midfielder for a strike into the top corner.

The visitors fought back with Edgar Alvarez slipping at the key moment and Christian Rigano' drilled just wide, but it was all Samp. Giulio Falcone's fierce drive was well saved by Gabriele Paoletti and a series of efforts from Palombo and Maggio were charged down.

Alvarez scuffed his effort wide after the break and Messina were able to draw level on 54 minutes. It was top scorere Rigano' who showed his poacher's instinct by finishing off Masiello's counter-attack.

Mirko Pieri had to perform a crucial challenge to stop Alvarez turning in when Rigano' flicked on a goalline clearance for his Honduran teammate.

Ziegler won the ball back and his snapshot was well held by Paoletti and at the other end a Nicolas Cordova trademark free kick was parried.

Messina really should have taken the lead as a lucky ricochet off Christian Maggio sent Cordova clear, but the Chilean horribly wasted this golden opportunity.

It proved very costly indeed, as Sampdoria restored their lead seven minutes from time. Sergio Volpi's solo run earned a corner and Daniele Franceschini scored with a splendid low volley from seven yards, although he was left unmarked. It was the defender's sixth goal of the season.

The final desperate move from Messina boss Bruno Giordano was throwing on striker Arturo Di Napoli. But there was more bad news, as Alvarez was felled by a clumsy Fabio Bazzani tackle that effectively kicked him in the chest. The referee did not even award a free kick, but the Messina player was forced to carry on as the substitutions had been completed.

The game was concluded in the final minute, as the Sicilians were all pouring forward, allowing Gennaro Delvecchio to score on the counter-attack with a powerful effort under the bar from almost 20 metres.

Sampdoria: Castellazzi; Pieri, Sala, Falcone (Franceschini 78), Zenoni (Parola 63); Ziegler, Volpi, Palombo, Maggio; Romeo (Delvecchio 59), Bazzani

Messina: Paoletti; Giallombardo (Cordova 51), Iuliano, Zanchi, Lavecchia; Masiello, Candela, De Vezze (Di Napoli 85), Alvarez; Riganò, Floccari (Rea 71)

Ref: Banti

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 34 - 29/4/07 (14.00 UK)

Siena-Sampdoria
Stadio Artemio Franchi

Siena’s battle for Serie A survival could go down to the wire unless they can take maximum points from UEFA Cup hopefuls Sampdoria in this Stadio Artemio Franchi clash.

Despite sitting in 12th place, Siena are by no means guaranteed top-flight football next year. With the bottom half of the table so tight, the Robur are only three points from the drop zone and could easily still be sucked into the mire.

The Bianconeri showed spirit against Inter last weekend and were unfortunate to come away empty-handed, but boss Mario Beretta knows that points and not performances decide success and failure. If the Tuscans don’t come away with a win here they may need to do so against Palermo or Lazio in the final two weeks – a situation Beretta will be keen to avoid.

Sampdoria’s UEFA Cup aspirations are hanging in the balance. Last weekend’s 3-1 win over Messina was a boost after two defeats, but the Blucerchiati are still five points from a ticket to Europe and trail the in-form Atalanta and Udinese.

This is also a crossroads for Samp boss Walter Novellino. The highly-rated tactician’s future is to be decided within 15 days and the next two games could make all the difference. A strong finish to the campaign is essential if the Genovese are to claw their way into the UEFA Cup but, thanks to a forgiving run-in, a win here would be a big step in their mission improbable.

Week 15 saw a frustrating stalemate between two sides unable to find a breakthrough and there’s a strong possibility that the points will be shared again. Siena have drawn 14 times – more than any other Serie A side – and while they have only won three times at home, Sampdoria are poor travellers and haven’t triumphed in the last six meetings between the two sides.

Daniele Portanova, Valerio Bertotto and Christian Molinaro return from suspension for Siena, but Tomas Locatelli, Abdoulay Konko and Massimo Maccarone are all still injured. Brazilian midfielder Alberto is recovering from a damaged left foot. Veteran Enrico Chiesa – who excelled in the Sampdoria shirt in 1995-96 – continues to form a partnership with young gun Daniele Corvia who has impressed in recent weeks.

Sampdoria make the trip with a strong squad but will miss suspended captain Sergio Volpi. Striking options are still limited with Emiliano Bonazzoli out for the season injured and Francesco Flachi serving a drugs ban. Defender Christian Terlizzi and forward Fabio Bazzani are injured.

Man on fire: Luca Antonini (Siena) – Having scored the winner against Torino in the rescheduled Week 22 clash, the ex-Samp left winger shone as a late sub against Inter.

Form guide: Siena (W D L W L) Sampdoria (D W L L W)

Last season: Siena 1-0 Sampdoria

Siena (probable): Manninger; Bertotto, Portanova, Rinaudo, Molinaro; Alberto, Codrea, Vergassola, Antonini; Chiesa, Corvia

Sampdoria (probable): Castellazzi; Maggio, Falcone, Accardi, Zenoni; Franceschini, Palombo, Delvecchio, Ziegler; Quagliarella, Bazzani

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Glad Corvia is getting an advanced role with Siena...i think he missed last game or game before from a suspension? I forget...but i want to see Quagliarella get a nice goal. He hasn't scored in two or three games.

[D-Kin]

Sampdoria squad: Castellazzi, Zotti; Accardi, Falcone, Maggio, Pieri, Sala, Terlizzi, Zenoni, Zivanovic; Delvecchio, Franceschini, Olivera, Palombo, Parola, Soddimo, Ziegler; Bazzani, Quagliarella.

[D-Kin]

11' Molinaro chases a long ball down the Siena left, cuts into the box and is denied by a brave stop from Castellazzi. Good goalkeeping, although he has taken a smack to the mouth for his trouble.

[D-Kin]

20' Siena have got a cracking little ground right in the middle of the medieval Tuscan city. It's a picturesque place to watch a match, although the architecture is currently outshining the football. Goalless after 20 minutes.

[D-Kin]

Sounds like a great game.....

[D-Kin]

Maggio scores for Sampdoria.

1-0.

[D-Kin]

40' Almost an instant response from Siena, with Daniele Corvia placing the ball past Castellazzi, but the young striker is offside.

[D-Kin]

43' Corvia leaps extravagantly to the ground in search of a penalty. No dice, and he is shown a yellow card for his trouble. A clear dive, and a good decision by the referee.

[D-Kin]

HT 1-0 to Sampdoria.

[Forza_Roma]

Corvia needs to work on his acting abilities. Siena need to be careful, they are not as safe as one would think in Serie A...a loss or two and they could be in relegation area.

[D-Kin]

Yeah, Siena could do with a result here.

[D-Kin]

51' A party piece from Daniele Corvia, with the Siena striker hooking a shot goalwards and watching it roll along the top of the bar before dropping out for a goal kick.