Sampdoria defeated Empoli 1-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday afternoon in Serie A.
After a disappointing loss to Lazio on Monday night the Blucerchiati returned to winning ways against the Azzurri with a goal from Eder ending the visitors run of eight games without defeat.
While Empoli were confident in possession and seemingly untroubled when forced to withstand the Sampdoria attack Maurizio Sarri’s side offered little threat to the Blucerchiati goal and it was left to the hosts to press most of the match.
Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men were largely restricted to speculative efforts from range and Eder twice fired over when frustrated at an inability to break through the defensive wall.
Pedro Obiang, however, did much better forcing Luigi Sepe to palm a curling effort round his left post.
The Azzurri may themselves been able to offer slightly more if it hadn’t been for striker Massimo Maccarone proving incapable of remaining onside when played in.
However, it was Simone Verdi who arguably wasted Empoli’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes when a counter-attack from a Blucerchiati corner gave them a man advantage as they charged goalward but played a sloppy pass.
Within the closing stages of the opening period Duncan finally conjured up a moment of quality as some excellent close control saw him skip past two Empoli men into the box but a heavy touch gave Sepe the chance to smother.
Knowing they needed to be more aggressive in the second-half Eder had a sighter seconds in and then on 49 minutes played a tidy one-two with Gonzalo Begessio and curled past Sepe from an almost identical position on the edge of the box.
With the visitors finally showing greater attacking intent it was to Sampdoria’s credit that their performance meant the match continued in much the same vein as the first 45 with them the only team looking likely to score.
However, the Blucerchiati struggled all game to create many clear-cut goalscoring opportunities and will hope that the recent arrival of Luis Muriel from Udinese will rectify that if they are to challenge for a place in Europe.
Eventually Empoli did trouble Emiliano Viviano in the Sampdoria goal but although Manuel Pucciarelli’s low drive was fiercely hit it was straight at the goalkeeper who made an instinctive block.
Sampdoria now travel to a struggling Parma expecting to record back-to-back wins in Serie A since early October while despite their narrow defeat Empoli host an Inter side growing in confidence under Roberto Mancini hopeful of launching another unbeaten run.
Follow Kevin Pogorzelski on Twitter: @rabbitrabbiton
