U.C. SAMPDORIA

[D-Kin]

SAMPDORIA: L. Castellazzi, Accardi, Falcone, Bastrini, Maggio, Zenoni, Franceschini, Palombo, Volpi, Bazzani, Quagliarella
Subs: Berti, Sala, Ziegler, Delvecchio, Parola, Pieri, Ferrari

ATALANTA: Calderoni, Rivalta, Bellini, Talamonti, Loria, Donati, Bombardini, Migliaccio, Tissone, Ventola, Defendi
Subs: Ivan, Carrozzieri, Adriano, Bernardini, Ariatti, Zampagna, Ferreira Pinto

[D-Kin]

Sampdoria 0-1 Atalanta

8' Ventola

[D-Kin]

HT 1-0 to Atalanta.

[D-Kin]

Quagliarella goes close for Sampdoria.

[D-Kin]

Sampdoria 1-1 Atalanta

70' Bazzani

[D-Kin]

Bazzani is crying.

[D-Kin]

Sampdoria 2-1 Atalanta

83' Volpi (pen)

[D-Kin]

FT 2-1 to Sampdoria.

[Forza_Roma]

Good result for Samp as they make a big jump in the table.

Serie A Week 26 - 28/2/07 (14.00 UK)

Sampdoria 2 - 1 Atalanta
Ventola 9 (A), Bazzani 70 (S), Volpi pen 83 (S)
Stadio Ferraris

Fabio Bazzani scored his first goal in over a year and burst into tears, but it was an extremely controversial late penalty that sealed Atalanta's first defeat of 2007.

These two teams both harbour hopes of a UEFA Cup place, separated by just one point, but their recent form has been disappointing. Samp were struggling after the loss of Francesco Flachi to a drugs ban, plus Emiliano Bonazzoli, Ruben Olivera and Gennaro Delvecchio were suspended for this tie. Atalanta also missed star man Cristiano Doni for disciplinary reasons and he was very upset not to face his former club.

In their previous 35 Serie A visits to Marassi, the Orobici had emerged with just four wins, 11 draws and 20 defeats. Their last draw here was on January 8, 1989.

Nicola Ventola was given a surprise start and took the opportunity with both hands, as he opened the scoring after just nine minutes with a curling snapshot from just inside the area that bent past Luca Castellazzi's outstretched hand.

Fabio Bazzani - who hasn't scored in 13 months - nodded Fabio Quagliarella's cross just past the post, but Atalanta had the better of the play and Castellazzi had to rush out to close down Ventola.

A long-range Quagliarella snapshot brought a fine save out of Castellazzi and at the other end Alex Calderoni performed a spectacular parry on Cristian Maggio's acrobatic finish.

In first half stoppages, Samp had to thank their goalkeeper, as he managed to keep out Davide Bombardini's strike from point blank range set up by Ventola.

Straight after the restart, Quagliarella slipped past a defender and sliced inches wide of the near post. Atalanta could have sealed the deal, but Castellazzi parried an Ariatti effort.

Sampdoria managed to equalise with Bazzani's first goal since January 2006 and he was so moved that he burst into tears. In truth, much of the credit goes to Palombo, as his powerful missile from 25 metres took a touch off Bazzani's lowered head to send the ball beyond Calderoni.

The referee pointed to the spot for a Talamonti handling offence on Ziegler's cross, but the replays clearly show the ball struck his stomach and not the outstretched arm. Nonetheless, Sergio Volpi stepped up and converted, despite Calderoni getting a hand to it, as the ball ricocheted in off the inside of the post.

Atalanta could have equalised 120 seconds later, but the ball fell to Bellini and he ballooned over the bar.

Sampdoria: Castellazzi; Zenoni (Delvecchio 57), Falcone, Accardi, Bastrini (Pieri 67); Maggio, Palombo, Volpi, Franceschini (Ziegler 46); Quagliarella, Bazzani

Atalanta: Calderoni; Rivalta, Talamonti, Loria, Bellini; Defendi (Ferreira Pinto 74), Migliaccio, Donati, Tissone; Bombardini (Ariatti 64); Ventola (Zampagna 80)

Ref: Orsato

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

It was a nice comeback in the end, it's just a shame they can't perform like this away from home.

[D-Kin]

Game highlights:

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[D-Kin]

It was never a penalty.

[D-Kin]

Volpi will be out for a month with a thigh strain.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 28 - 10/3/07 (19.30 UK)

Sampdoria - Cagliari
Stadio Ferraris

Sampdoria will want to get their European qualification bid back on track this weekend at Marassi, but face a rejuvenated Cagliari side who are fighting for their Serie A lives. Doria suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss at Lazio last week which saw boss Walter Novellino lose his cool on the touchline, while the Sardinian outfit edged away from the danger zone with a 2-0 over Atalanta.

Sampdoria had seemingly taken a grip of their destiny this term at long last until their inconsistent form came back to haunt them. Their win-lose trend has lasted for the last four games and defeats to Milan and Lazio have underlined that they are no longer Serie A big boys. They were also overtaken in the table by Fiorentina on Sunday, despite the Viola’s 15-point deduction!

Novellino, who is said to be facing the chop at the end of the season in favour of Reggina’s Walter Mazzarri, should have a relatively strong squad to choose from. However, Cristan Terlizzi is out with injury and Francesco Flachi has been suspended for failing a routine drugs test. The tactician will also have Sergio Volpi unavailable. He picked up a minor thigh strain at the Olimpico which will rule him out for a month. Gennaro Delvecchio should get the nod instead.

Although Samp’s home record of six wins, four draws and three defeats is nothing to fear, Cagliari have won just once on the road this term thanks to a 1-0 at Catania on January 21. In fact, the 2-0 last week was their first triumph overall after five winless ties. The Rossoblu’s paltry tally of just eight goals outside of the Sant’Elia is also a statistic which doesn’t bode well.

However, there does seem to be a renewed air of optimism after boss Marco Giampaolo was recalled to the hotseat. Although they lost to Torino in his first game back, Cagliari looked a decent proposition in the last round of games. And in David Suazo, who scored the first against the Bergamo boys, they have a striker of real talent.

Giampaolo will again be without goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti and long-term absentee Mauro Esposito. Combative midfielder Daniele Conti is also out after picking up one yellow card too many this term. Andrea Capone and Simone Pepe, another scorer last week, will fight it out for Suazo’s striking partner.

Man on fire: David Suazo (Cagliari) – He netted the equaliser in the 1-1 at the Ferraris last term and is again set to be the one to watch.

Last season: Sampdoria 1-1 Cagliari

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

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

Cagliari (probable): Fortin; Pisano, Lopez, Bianco, Del Grosso; Biondini, Budel, Colucci, D’Agostino; Capone, Suazo

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Sampdoria squad: Castellazzi, Zotti; Accardi, Bastrini, Falcone, Maggio, Pieri, Sala, Zenoni; Da Mota, Delvecchio, Franceschini, Olivera, Palombo, Parola, Ziegler; Bazzani, Bonazzoli, Ferrari, Quagliarella.