CAGLIARI

[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.

[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]

Game highlights:

TalkSoccer Media Player

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 29 - 18/3/07 (14.00 UK)
Cagliari - Chievo

Stadio Sant'Elia

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Cagliari welcome Chievo Verona to the Sant’Elia on Sunday. Chievo will have a long way to travel but that should give them time to reflect on recent results. It’s 15th against 16th in the table and neither of them can afford to slip up. It seems the most interesting and hard fought battles of the season are all happening at the bottom end of the League and this game is a case in point. With neither Parma nor Ascoli resigned to their fate, these two sides will have to fight right to the death.

The Isolani may be clear of the relegation zone for now, but they are in no position to relax. Four points from their last five matches is not the best set of statistics and if it gets any worse they will find themselves in trouble. Having said that they did very well last time out, against a Sampdoria side without Sergio Volpi and as a consequence a side without ideas. David Suazo was far from confused however, as he raced away to score the equaliser on 64 minutes and earned his team a precious away point.

Coach Marco Giampaolo looks like he has changes in mind for this game. Beginning in defence, where Michele Ferri may make way for Francesco Pisano at right-back. In middle of the park the changes could be more numerous with Daniele Conti and Leonardo Colucci coming in for Alessandro Budel and Davide Marchini respectively. Andrea Capone and Suazo should start in attack. It would seem there is no space in the first XI for youngster Simone Pepe who looks like watching this one from the bench as well.

The away side got a 1-1 draw against Messina last time out and perhaps should have had more. They were a man over for more then half an hour but could not make it truly count. It is true that only an 89th minute penalty denied them a win they needed but that will be scant consolation for Luigi Del Neri and his men. The tactician, who is still banned and will have to watch this crucial clash from the stands, will surely have his heart in his mouth much like the Flying Donkeys’ fans themselves.

The Chievo boss, who will have to leave things in the capable hands of his staff, looks like having to make two changes because of yellow cards picked up and the ensuing suspensions. Michele Troiano should play left-wing in place of Paolo Sammarco. Matteo Brighi and Vincenzo Italiano will look to break up opposition play in the middle while Davide Mandelli and banned Lorenzo D’Anna’s replacement Andrea Mantovani will have to concentrate hard to stop Suazo and his colleagues from getting what would be another useful result.

Man on fire: David Suazo (Cagliari) –The Honduran is always a danger and he needs only one chance to score, he proved it yet again against Sampdoria, the perfect hit man for a relegation campaign.

Last season: Cagliari 2-2 Chievo

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

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

Chievo (probable): Squizzi; Moro, Mandelli, Mantovani, Lanna; Troiano, Italiano, Brighi, Semioli; Bogdani, Pellissier

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Suazo really needs some support. It's getting ridiculous. How he doesn;t get frustrated every game is beyond me. Either sell him or give him help!

[D-Kin]

9' Matteo Brighi does everything right, running onto a deft lay-off at the edge of the box and setting himself to shoot, but he sends the shot high over the top!

[D-Kin]

HT 0-0.

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Chievo...goal by Brighi..first attempt saved by the keeper, but not the second!