U.C. SAMPDORIA

[Forza_Roma]

Cagliari are doing well and may be happy with a draw here. Samp are trying to secure a Uefa spot, but they will have a battle on their hands. Clubs are so close and will likely come down to the last couple weeks for final placements.

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Sampdoria 43'. Goal by Palombo. A cross in the box, Fortin punches right out to Palombo who drills it first time to the back of the net. Nice strike!

[Forza_Roma]

Suazo with a great chance minutes into the second half as he gets around the last defender in the box and the keeper makes a great save.

[Forza_Roma]

Cagliari lack the finish and lack support for Suazo. You can tell he is all alone. Feel a bit sorry for Suazo. Hopefully Inter is watching and get him out of Cagliari.

[Forza_Roma]

1-1 Goal by guess who......Suazo 63'

[Forza_Roma]

FT 1-1

[Forza_Roma]

Game Report:

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

Sampdoria 1 - 1 Cagliari
Palombo 40 (S), Suazo 63 (C)
Stadio Ferraris

David Suazo earned Cagliari a surprising point at Marassi after Angelo Palombo's spectacular volley for Sampdoria.

Walter Novellino will have to do without captain Sergio Volpi for a month and suspended Francesco Flachi, but hoped to maintain his UEFA Cup ambitions against struggling Cagliari with Gennaro Delvecchio taking over in midfield.

However, it was the Sardinians who had a strong start, David Suazo bringing a tough save out of Luca Castellazzi within the opening 50 seconds. At the other end Cristian Maggio failed to make the most of a Fabio Quagliarella assist and Marco Fortin rushed out to pluck a dangerous cross off Maggio's head.

Sampdoria slowly increased the pressure and Emiliano Bonazzoli sprung the offside trap, but Fortin did well to close down the striker inside the area. Franceschini hooked down a cross from the right, flicked the ball up to turn around the penalty spot, but his finish was well over the bar.

Sampdoria thought they had taken the lead on 34 minutes when Quagliarella's glancing header turned in a Pieri cross, but the goal was correctly disallowed for an offside position.

Bonazzoli held up the ball for Quagliarella's volley well held by Fortin, though Cagliari also threatened with Castellazzi tipping an Andrea Capone free kick over.

The Blucerchiati finally broke the deadlock with an absolutely stunning strike from Angelo Palombo. Quagliarella's cross was punched away from Bonazzoli, but only as far as Palombo for a fantastic running volley from 20 metres. There was absolutely nothing Fortin could have done with the shot.

Soon after Palombo had another long-range attempt over, but at the other end Del Grosso's counter-attack rolled to the unmarked Marchini and Castellazzi needed two touches to get the strike under control, as it threatened to squirm under his body.

Suazo took advantage of a lucky ricochet to sprint into the area, though Castellazzi was alert and ran out to block his path with a clean tackle.

After the break Suazo tried again when skipping past Accardi, but once more Castellazzi was prepared with a fine save. The Honduran then drilled an angled drive past the far post before finally snatching the equaliser.

Suazo used his remarkable pace to catch up three metres from Giulio Falcone and toe-poke the ball past Castellazzi rushing out. The striker was far behind the defender, but in a matter of seconds blazed right past him.

Ex-Tottenham man Ziegler's curling free kick whipped past the far post, but there was a chaotic move at the other end. Suazo managed to thread through for Budel, but both his shot and Simone Pepe's were charged down by some desperate defending.

In the final minute Capone flashed a shot across the face of goal, as Cagliari bravely ended the game looking for the victory, though Fabio Bazzani didn't turn fast enough in the area to waste a potential Samp strike. The substitute had an even clearer chance with a very weak angled drive.

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!

Sampdoria: Castellazzi; Zenoni (Bazzani 78), Falcone, Accardi, Pieri; Maggio, Palombo, Delvecchio (Parola 62), Franceschini (Ziegler 68); Quagliarella, Bonazzoli

Cagliari: Fortin; Ferri, Lopez, Bianco, Del Grosso; Marchini (Pepe 56), Budel, Biondini, D'Agostino (Colucci 84); Capone (Pisano 90); Suazo

Ref: Banti

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Good result for Cagliari, Sampdoria should be doing better though.

[D-Kin]

Del Vecchio is fit again for Sampdoria.
tribalfootball.com - Delvecchio back for Sampdoria

[D-Kin]

Alessandro Bastrini has signed a new contract with Sampdoria until 2011.

tribalfootball.com - Bastrini signs new Sampdoria contract

[D-Kin]

Game highlights:

TalkSoccer Media Player

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 29 - 17/3/07 (19.30 UK)
Sampdoria - Palermo

Stadio Ferraris

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Palermo look to arrest their recent slide as they arrive at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face an inconsistent Sampdoria side.

It could be another frustrating season for the Sampdoria faithful. The Blucerchiati’s patchy form has seen them overtaken by Fiorentina despite the Viola’s 15-point Calciopoli handicap and their chances of securing European football for next season are in the balance.

Last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Cagliari was an apt demonstration of Doria’s tendency to miss out on maximum points and has left Walter Novellino’s men in eighth place and in danger of being sucked into mid-table. Samp need to start winning soon and to do so will need key figures like Gennaro Delvecchio to come good.

After a fairytale start to the campaign the wheels have come off for Palermo. The Rosanero are without a win in six and have been leapfrogged by Lazio. If they don’t remember how to win soon they could lose their Champions League place to Empoli or Milan.

Coach Francesco Guidolin must watch from the stands after receiving a three-match ban for his dismissal and touchline row with Cesare Prandelli last weekend. The Sicilians drew 1-1 with Fiorentina despite playing much of the game with 10 men, but felt aggrieved as the Viola scored while Roberto Guana was down injured. The excuses will run out soon if Guidolin can’t get his side firing again.

Palermo secured a comfortable 2-0 win when the two sides met at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Week 10 during their lightning start to the campaign.

Novellino is without ex-Palermo pair Gianluca Berti and Christian Terlizzi and captain Sergio Volpi due to injury. Cristian Zenoni and Francesco Flachi are suspended. Ruben Olivera may have to settle for a seat on the bench once more.

The visitors have a few selection problems. In addition to long-term absentee Amauri, ex-Sampdoria midfielder Eugenio Corini and defender Ciro Capuano are injured. Roberto Guana seems to have recovered from the injury he sustained against Fiorentina. Andrea Caracciolo and Cristian Zaccardo are suspended. Uruguayan striker Edison Cavani scored with a superb volley within minutes of his debut as a substitute last weekend, but may have to settle for being a super sub again.

Man on fire: Luca Castellazzi (Sampdoria) – After an excellent performance against Lazio in Week 27, the Milanese ‘keeper was superb against Cagliari last weekend making three top-quality saves.

Last season: Sampdoria 0-2 Palermo

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

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

Palermo (probable): Fontana; Cassani, Biava, Barzagli, Pisano; Diana, Guana, Simplicio, Bresciano, Di Michele; Brienza

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Will be interesting to see what kind of damage Quagliarella & Bonazzoli can cause against the major slumping Palermo. And every time Corini isn't in the lineup, that midfield falls apart. No creativity without him.

[D-Kin]

The problem with Palermo is lack of fire power up front.

I mean Caracciolo and Di Michele haven't been scoring and Brienza isn't really a striker.

[Forza_Roma]

Di Michele has disappointed me...i think he would excel at Palermo. But without Amauri, seems all the offense is lacking in all areas.