Sassuolo defeated Sampdoria 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Serie A action.
Nicola Pozzi gave the Doriani the lead in the first half but Domenico Berardi scored two goals before Antonio Floro Flores made it 3-1. Samp made a comeback with goals from Eder and Lorenzo De Silvestri but Berardi scored the winner for the Neroverdi and completed his hat-trick while Andrea Costa was sent-off for the home team.
Both teams started attacking from the whistle and it was Samp which created the first two chances. Eder blasted over the bar after receiving Davide Gavazzi’s low cross from the left.
Sassuolo’s first chance came from an Antonio Floro Flores free-kick. The shot was deflected and the ball was caught by Samp keeper Angelo Da Costa.
The former Genoa striker had the opportunity to give the Neroverdi the lead as he went on a solo run and he struck a left-foot shot from outside of the box, forcing a save out of Da Costa.
Doria took the lead after 19 minutes. Nenad Krsticic’s free-kick from the left found Andrea Costa, who headed the ball across the goal and found Nicola Pozzi, who slid-in at the far post.
The Blucerchiati attacked for a few more minutes before the Neroverdi started having more of the ball and Marcello Gazzola nearly equalised for Sassuolo.
After controlling the ball at the far post, he had plenty of time and space to place his shot but his strike for goal was cleared by Sampdoria captain Daniele Gastaldello.
Sassuolo equalised early in the second half. In the 49th minute, Alessandro Longhi crossed from the left-wing and Costa misread the high ball. After a bounce, Berardi touched the ball with his head and tapped the ball in with his second touch.
Two minutes later, the Neroverdi took the lead. Berardi won a penalty after he was tripped by Costa and the Samp defender got a red card. The young striker converted the penalty, blasting the ball into Da Costa’s left corner.
Floro Flores nearly made it 3-1 to the away side after another solo run. He nearly lost the ball but he persevered, only to strike a weak right-foot shot at Da Costa.
The former Genoa striker did make it 3-1 after 63 minutes. He ran onto a through-ball and he had a clear run on the counterattack, slotting the ball past the Samp keeper.
One minute later Eder pulled it back to 3-2. After a cross from the right, Pozzi headed the ball down and the Brazilian forward bundled the ball over the line.
The Blucerchiati were starting to attack after the goal and Eder had a chance to equalise but his shot was deflected for a corner.
On 80 minutes, Doria levelled the score. De Silvestri headed a corner onto the crossbar and he managed to turn around on time to tap-in the rebound.
Roberto Soriano crossed from the right and found Eder, who took three touches to control and then shot straight at Pegolo. Then Berardi had a chance for Sassuolo but his header at the far post hit the side-netting.
Substitute Diego Farias won a penalty for the Neroverdi after De Silvestri tripped him and Berardi completed his hat-trick with another penalty. Marius Alexe nearly made it 5-3 but Da Costa made another vital save.
