Sampdoria were 2-0 winners over Palermo at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in their Sunday evening Serie A fixture.
Roberto Soriano scored and David Ivan added another to complete the win as the Blucerchiati move up to 13th in the Serie A table.
The first clear chance of the half fell to Antonio Cassano. The 33 year-old received the ball from Roberto Soriano in a promising position, but his shot went just over the crossbar. Fernando had a crack from outside the box, but straight into the midriff of Stefano Sorrentino.
Sorrentino had the save of the half when he tipped a goal-bound free kick over from Fernando, the 36 year-old diving across the face of goal to make the save. In the second half the hosts eventually got the better of Sorrentino. Cassano swiveled in the box and crossed across the face of goal, finding Roberto Soriano who thundered it into the back of the net.
The Blucerchiati doubled their lead toward the end of the game. David Ivan with a delicate chip over the head of Sorrentino, who had come off his line to prevent the youngster from scoring. Substitute Luis Muriel almost beat Sorrentino for a third time, but the keeper stretched to stop it nestling into the top corner.
Emiliano Viviano pulled off a brilliant stop toward the end of the game, parrying the long range effort from Achraf Lazaar. Sampdoria begin the new year with the visit of city rivals Genoa, a fixture that Vincenzo Montella will have to win to appease the fans. Palermo welcome high-flying Fiorentina to the Stadio Renzo Barbera on the same day.
