Sampdoria defeated Sassuolo 2-1 at the Stadio Mapei on Wednesday night in Serie A.
The Doriani opened the scoring thanks to Gianluca Sansone and Alessandro Longhi equalised for the Neroverdi but Stefano Okaka was the hero for Doria, scoring the winner midway through the second half.
Sampdoria started with a bang when G Sansone ran onto a Birkir Bjarnason through-ball, beat a defender and drove a low shot past Gianluca Pegolo after just 20 seconds.
The Neroverdi quickly went for the equaliser, with Sergio Floccari’s angled drive being easily saved by Angelo Da Costa and Simone Zaza deflected a Domenico Berardi free-kick wide.
Stefano Okaka started in attack ahead of Maxi Lopez and he had three chances to score for Sampdoria. Twice Pegolo denied him from close range and then an angled drive flashed across the goal.
Sassuolo equalised after 16 minutes when Zaza’s low cross found Longhi at the near post but he tapped the ball in from an offside position.
G Sansone tried to regain Samp’s lead by going on a run down the middle and his curling left-foot shot just missed the goal.
Yussif Chibsah dribbled past two defenders before his shot was blocked. He then sent-in a cross but Simone Missiroli failed to get a connection and Da Costa grabbed the ball comfortably. Bjarnason had a chance for Sampdoria but he headed straight at Pegolo.
Paolo Cannavaro came-off with a knee injury and Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco had to replace him with Pedro Mendes. Zaza then had a volley which flew over the bar.
Sampdoria had to chances to make it 2-1 before the half-time whistle went. Renan’s low free-kick hit the post and Okaka’s audacious overhead kick was saved by Pegolo.
Pedro Obiang had the first chance of the second half when his long-range shot missed the target and Sassuolo’s Berardi ballooned the ball over the bar after cutting-in from the right-wing.
Pawel Wszolek went on a solo run on the right-wing and his low cross found Bjarnason, who ran into the box but his shot forced a fine save out of Pegolo.
Sampdoria left-back Vasco Regini took a long-range shot but it hit the crossbar and then Sassuolo captain Francesco Magnanelli had a free-kick punched away.
Doria went 2-1 up after 66 minutes when substitute Eder flicked the ball over the Neroverdi defence and Okaka then ran onto the ball and lobbed it over Pegolo.
Renan’s long-range shot went over the bar and Okaka went looking for his second goal, when he turned and shot, only to miss the goal.
Paraguyan prodigy Antonio Sanabria came on for Sassuolo but his first shot on goal was straight at the Doria goalkeeper.
Eder should have put the Doriani 3-1 up but he didn’t convert Manolo Gabbiadini’s cross and missed at the near post and then Regini was sent-off after 88 minutes after collecting two yellow cards.
Missiroli nearly scored from long range but his shot was deflected away for a corner. Sampdoria held on for the 2-1 win with a different team to the one that was victorious against Verona on the weekend.
